Chasing the Endless Sunrise
by electric gurrl
Summary: Sometimes they drive each other mad, but other times they're mad about each other. Their love story is a chaotic combination of wild extremes with no clear beginning and end, and so all they can do is focus on the best of times instead of the worst. — Azula x Ty Lee. Oneshot Collection.
1. I've always wanted to see a dragon

A/N: **Some Quick Facts About This Fic:  
Chapters: **100.  
**Pairing: **Azula x Ty Lee  
**Rated: **T for mature humor, sexual themes and mild coarse language.  
**Notes:** This is _**only **_fluff. And cuteness. And sexiness.

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**Chasing the Endless Summer**

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_"This moment will just be another story someday." — The Perks of Being a Wallfower, Steven Chbosky_

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**#01: **"I've always wanted to see a dragon."  
**Prompted By: **electric gurrl

"Is it true that the royal family is descended from dragons?" Ty Lee asks, so innocently that it amuses Azula.

The campfire burns low and the princess has been contemplating relighting it or quenching it for the past five minutes, her thoughts distracted by embers and not her pursuit of the Avatar. The red glow of the wood that has burned low makes shadows on the damp Earth Kingdom grass.

"Yes," Azula replies, smirking faintly. She sits on a rock, her body precariously balanced. Ty Lee is on the ground, her clothes wet from the grass and the spring rain.

"I always wanted to see a dragon," Ty Lee chirps blithely and Azula laughs, a slight derision in her cackle. "It's true, princess. They're just..." Ty Lee shrugs, finding the conversation not worth pursuing.

Azula slips down from the rock and steps across the clearing with confident strides. She sits beside Ty Lee in the utter silence, examining her cheeks that have turned light pink despite the cold. Azula is studying her with a preternatural stillness that makes Ty Lee's breath slow.

"My Uncle killed the last dragon," Azula says abruptly and Ty Lee jumps. The princess leans back, setting one leg over Ty Lee, testing the waters. The fire is burning lower and they are almost submerged in the pale moonlight, shadows dancing across their faces. "I wish he hadn't."

"So do I," Ty Lee says, offering a faint smile. Her fingers touch Azula's ankle hesitantly, as if the darkness makes it okay. "Did he tell you about it?"

"No," Azula says airily with a small shrug. Ignoring the electricity that surges from her companion's fingertips, like Azula is shocked by a vaguely erotic bolt of lightning. "But my father told me about how the royal family used the dragons to conquer the Fire Nation, and that's why our bending is so powerful. I mean, I might as well be a dragon, if you've always wanted to see one."

Azula has this smug, amused smirk on her rosy lips. The fire is dying more rapidly and Ty Lee studies Azula's face closely, wondering what she will do next with a twisting anxiety in her stomach.

"You're about as terrifying as a dragon," Ty Lee murmurs, noticing how very close Azula is leaning towards her. "Most people would probably rather anger a dragon than you."

Azula's smile falters and Ty Lee's heart skips a beat. But Azula laughs; a _genuine _laugh, not high and fake like usual.

"Well, then you probably shouldn't cross me," Azula murmurs, and they are in darkness. The fire is gone and Azula's lips are on Ty Lee's neck. Her shoulders shoot up in shock, in response to the heat of the princess's mouth.

"I'll keep that in mind, princess," Ty Lee says so sweetly it is almost sickening.

Her eyes adjust to the starlight, and she presses her lips fiercely against Azula's.

They will deny it in the morning, but they are here and now.

And Ty Lee is in love with a dragon.

The desire is as unquenchable as a dragon's flame.


	2. Fire Gummies

**#02: **Fire Gummies  
**Prompted By: **beautyandrage**  
**

"Festival food is _delicious_," Ty Lee declares and the look in her eyes dares anyone to disagree with her. Mai examines her tiny waist and wonders how she can consume so much _sugar _and still stay thin. Maybe something about _cartwheeling _everywhere she goes.

"I'm not allowed to eat it," Azula says airily as Ty Lee thrusts a red paper bag of candy into Azula's hands. She clasps her fingers around Azula's and Mai thinks she caught the princess blushing. "My father says it will─"

"Is your father here, princess?" Mai chimes in, smirking faintly. It is outstanding how her face can remain so _sullen _even when she is entertained. "You know you want to... just one fire gummy. The Fire Nation will not come to a screeching halt if you eat one."

Azula sighs haughtily and glances between her friends. This has to count for some kind of treason, but Azula plucks out one, her fingers now coated in cinnamon and spice, and pries the sticky gummies apart from each other. Mai chortles as she watches Azula struggle to separate the candies, and finally, the princess settles for tearing off a piece.

She puts it in her mouth with a contemplative expression that is far too serious for candy-sampling.

"These are..." Azula begins, raising an eyebrow. "Quite good, actually."

The princess pops two in her mouth and Ty Lee giggles. She wraps her arm around Azula's waist and now Mai is certain that the immovable princess with a cold storage shed in place of her heart just blushed. They're in love and it is disgusting, not that Mai would point it out. She doesn't like the idea of having lightning thrown at her.

They are bored and alone, wandering the city as the days creep by after the victory of Ba Sing Se. Waiting for an invasion, waiting for a comet, _waiting_. And Mai is watching her two best friends finally start confirming what they have been leading up to for so _long _it makes her head hurt. But that does not make it any less... creepy.

"Here," Ty Lee says, reaching into her own bag of sizzle crisps and putting two in Azula's mouth. "Completely terrible for you, but completely delicious."

"Oh, are you guys going to be _that _kind of couple?" Mai asks, grimacing with an eyebrow cocked.

"We are not a _couple_, Mai," Azula snarls, her eyes glittering as if she is about to burn an earthbender alive. "Do we look like a couple to you?"

"Kind of, princess," Mai says with a shrug, although she knows she is dancing with imminent disaster.

But Mai has poked a sleeping dragon, and in her haughtiest, iciest, facing down Long Feng tone, Azula replies, "We are not a couple, and we never will be. I am Princess Azula the Conqueror and I do not do _couples─_"

She is cut off by lips against hers. They taste like sugar and cinnamon and Mai suppresses laughter by sucking in air as Azula blushes yet again. It is kind of adorable, which is totally gross.

"We're whatever Princess Azula says we are, Mai," Ty Lee says sweetly, smirking at the kiss.

Azula has no response.

As soon as her friends are distracted by a street performer, who Azula notices has completely improper form, she brushes her fingertips against her lips. Her tongue still tastes like cinnamon.

Princess Azula does not _do _couples.


	3. I am not helpless

**#03: **I Am Not Helpless  
**Prompted By: **HeavenBesideYou13

Azula visits Kyoshi Island for the first time in the dead of winter. Not only is she shivering the moment she arrives, but the snow utterly disgusts her. It is warm in the Fire Nation, and she longs to be in her home. But she promised to visit Ty Lee, and she will hold true to that promise.

Things are going... better. Maybe better. She has good days and bad days and some days just wants to scream and other days simply lie in bed and sleep for a thousand years. But here she is, trekking across the ocean to visit an old flame. A new spark; someone she won't admit she is in love with.

She clutches a bag she packed herself, much to the dismay of Zuko. He insisted that she had no idea how to pack for herself, to which she snarled at him and he let her dig her own grave. She pulls the bag close to her and squints at the warriors. They all look exactly the same to her.

"Well, hi you," comes a familiar voice and Princess Azula feels relief wash over her.

Lips touch hers and she sinks into the embrace. Ty Lee still smells like cinnamon, even after living in this disgusting peasant village. Azula misses the palace beyond all else, even if it is her prison without bars. Even if it is reigned over by Fire Lord Zuko, who thought she could not pack a bag by herself.

Princess Azula is not helpless. She is not insane and she is not helpless, no matter what they all say. What they all say but Ty Lee.

"Come on, let's get you unpacked," Ty Lee murmurs, wrapping her arm around Azula's waist. Azula allows it, although flaunting the relationship is an unpleasant thought to her. She is quite selfless, isn't she?

"I'm freezing cold," Azula says airily, as if she does not care. Ty Lee frowns, examining Azula's clothing. They are more fit for a Fire Nation winter.

"I'll keep you warm," Ty Lee responds, a tone of seduction in her high, blithe voice. Azula smirks wickedly.

They come to a stop at a small, ramshackle house. These are _no _conditions for a princess, but Azula takes a deep breath and tells herself that she can manage. She conquered Ba Sing Se, she slew the Avatar; she can spend a few nights in a gross island village. Even if it is so _cold_.

Azula steps inside and tosses her bag on the bed. It could fit two people and Azula's expression sours at the thought of all of the little peasants knowing that Azula is sleeping with Ty Lee. Well, she is, but she does not want people to _think _that.

"You can just unpack. Use the drawers if you want, of course, princess," Ty Lee says and Azula must admit she likes being spoken to like royalty instead of a criminal.

Azula reaches into her bag and empties the contents on the bed. Ty Lee starts giggling hysterically and Azula purses her lips, golden eyes flashing like an aggravated beast. The princess takes a deep breath.

"I don't understand what's funny, Ty Lee. Please enlighten me?" Azula crosses her arms tightly across her chest, elbows pressing against her cleavage. Ty Lee coughs and chokes, trying to stop laughing.

"You... you packed two shirts, and some underwear and... no pants. I don't..." Ty Lee stammers, turning bright red. She examines the princess's belongings one more time and sucks in air to keep from laughing harder.

"I can pack my own bags. I am not _helpless_," Azula says sharply, her silver tongue barbed. Ty Lee coughs again, trying to disguise her laughter. "I don't need _servants _to do everything for me. I am a perfectly capable adult."

"It'll be okay. You can borrow my pants," Ty Lee says, smirking so smugly that Azula wants to slap the look off of her face. But the princess has been forced to practice restraint in the custody of her brother, and she applies it to the situation, lying down on the bed.

Ty Lee was right when she said she would keep her warm. Azula sleeps in her underwear and slim cloth bra, and the Kyoshi Warrior wraps herself around her in the cold winter night.

Azula feels a warmth in her body and her bones. Ty Lee's lips touch her neck and sends more ripples of heat through her half naked body.

Maybe it wasn't an incredible mistake to pack so lightly.


	4. Love is a Battlefield

**#04: **"Love is a Battlefield" - Pat Benatar  
**Prompted By: **Streetlight Eyes

Azula still has scars on her wrists from the handcuffs. The multitude of handcuffs that she only overcame by surrendering with honor, surrendering to a new life that she is still unsure about living. This broken life she is living. The one that lets her keep her bending and her freedom, well, a sorry excuse for freedom.

She sometimes wakes up with the sensation of having been bound, then gasps for breath and touches her wrists. Touches the marks on her previously perfect skin. All she craved was perfection, and now she is tied back by invisible chains that restrict her lungs like a rainy night.

"Are you okay?" Ty Lee murmurs beside her and Azula only just realizes that there is someone in bed with her. Her thoughts were preoccupied by her nightmares, by the dreams of drowning, being held down by a different face each time. Father, Zuko, Mai...

"Of course," Azula replies, drawing her knees to her chest. She contemplates running from the situation but decides against it.

"I love you," whispers Ty Lee as if it is some kind of consolation.

_"What do you want from me, Azula?" Ty Lee asks, her voice trembling. They stand by the pier, two weeks after returning from their victory over Ba Sing Se. "I just don't understand."_

_Someone who faces terrifying things with a smile has trembling lips. She looks on the verge of tears and Azula supposes she should have known that her friend is quite bright enough to play these games. Princess Azula barely can keep up with them, and she makes the rules._

_Azula steps forward confidently, though she is terrified inside. She feels trapped by this love, chained to Ty Lee's side. If it ever shattered, if the bonds were to break, Azula would not know what to do. And so she tightens them around Ty Lee, only to inadvertently tighten them around herself. It sickens her but she likes the nausea it brings. _

_"I want to make you love me so much you ask for permission to breathe," Azula whispers, her sharp fingertips brushing against Ty Lee's smooth skin, making the acrobat break out in goosebumps._

_It is at that moment that she is bound to Azula._

"I left my life for you," Ty Lee says, touching Azula's hand. Her fingertips graze against the moon white scars. "I don't want to watch you hurt."

She wants Azula to give her pain to Ty Lee. The acrobat would rather be feeling it than watching the princess feel it.

"Then sleep with me," Azula breathes, crawling across the bed.

Their lips meet and they fall into each other. Fingers straying, moans, gasps and the delaying of confronting their faults and failings. The heat, the rush, orgasm in exchange for forgetting. Forgetting is so much easier than remembering.

It is not going to save her. But it binds them together like the red string of fate.

Ty Lee is trapped.

And she loves it.


	5. Fever

**#05: **Fever  
**Prompted By: **Koka Kola Veins

"I feel terrible," is what Ty Lee wakes up to.

_Azula is sick. No, no, Azula is not sick._

"I'm sure it's just hot out..." Ty Lee offers, turning her palms up and smiling. But it is like an inexperienced fortune teller trying to help the cougar-lion tamers at the circus. Futile, and probably will end with a maiming.

"I am definitely sick. Just listen to my voice. _Feel _my body. I am sick." Azula's hand collides softly with Ty Lee's face. Her palm is clammy and feverish and Ty Lee stifles a cough. _Oh_, she is getting it too, isn't she?

"Okay, maybe you're sick," Ty Lee says slowly, peeling Azula's hand off of her. She examines her wife nervously, looking at her slightly ajar rosy lips and half closed golden eyes.

"Just kill me," Azula groans loudly, her voice constricted with mucus, and Ty Lee can only think, _so it begins_, before regretting her thoughts. She should not think such terrible things about the tormented, beautiful woman she married. "Burn me alive; it will be more merciful than this."

"I don't think you _can _burn alive, Azula," Ty Lee says hesitantly, her voice a timid squeak.

"Ugh, then behead me, see if I care," Azula snarls, a slight glint of malice in her tired eyes. "Now, as I said, Ty Lee, I feel _terrible_. Do something about it. And none of your weird Earth Kingdom peasant _witch doctor _nonsense."

"There weren't any witch doctors on Kyoshi Is─"

"Sh." A finger misses Ty Lee's lips, Azula's eyes closed. Her pointed claws nearly scratch Ty Lee's neck, but her arm flops down weakly on the plush red mattress. "Find me medicine. And new clothes. And... a towel. Some tea with honey? No... not honey. Sugar. Refined sugar─"

"I'm not going to remember any more than that," Ty Lee says, her neck bones protruding with her grimace. "I'll start with the clothes."

_I'm not your servant_, Ty Lee thinks behind her glittering white smile. But she loves Princess Azula, even when she is sick. _In sickness and in health is the greatest scam..._

There is a high chance that Azula will not like the clothes Ty Lee picks out, but she tries to find something reasonable, and digs it out of the drawers. She kicks them shut with the tip of her toes and walks to Azula. She sets the dress on Azula's concave abdomen. Azula raises an eyebrow as if this is ridiculous.

"Are you going to ask me to put your clothes on you?" Ty Lee asks, trying to remain as positive as possible.

"How am I going to do this myself?" Azula says in the most regal tone Ty Lee has ever heard. "I'm violently ill."

_You have a cold, _Ty Lee wants to say, but she holds her tongue and starts helping Azula into her dress. She firmly believes the princess is intentionally making this difficult by keeping her body as limp as possible. _She just uses illness to get attention because her father neglected her... you've been there before, Ty Lee..._

"Are you trying to make this ─ don't kiss me; you'll infect me!" Ty Lee nearly drops the princess, who somehow manages to catch herself, and Azula smoothes out her dress and sits back down on the bed.

"You're going to get this sick anyway," Azula says, her voice sounding as if she has been gargling nails, shrugging lightly. "Now that tea...?"

"I think we need to have a negotiation," Ty Lee says, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.

"Over what? My tea and medicine? You wouldn't let your own wife _die _of a fever, would you?" Azula says bitterly, each word like a dagger. Ty Lee can only grit her teeth. It is like living in a melodrama by the Ember Island Players some days with Princess Azula.

"When I'm sick; you're going to wait on me hand and foot like this. Promise me that, and I'll make you your tea."

"I suppose I can make an exception for you," Azula says with a loud, pointed sigh.

Ty Lee kisses Azula on her lips. Their tongues intertwine and Ty Lee can almost feel the illness seeping into her body.

Azula better keep that promise.


	6. Childhood Sweethearts

**#06: **Childhood Sweethearts  
**Prompted By: **A Kingdom of Isolation

Azula stole Ty Lee's heart and she stole her eyeliner.

The make-up goes mysteriously missing and Ty Lee pretends she has no idea where it went. Her mother told her she was too young for make-up anyway. She wore it to school and suddenly everybody noticed her even more than usual, so, of course, it would go missing like the pink bow and the nail polish. Anything out of the ordinary or spectacular would disappear from Ty Lee's life. Except for one very unique, very spectacular human person.

"If you make me ask him out for you, you will not be pleased with the results," Mai sighs, her elbow propped on the table and her chin resting in her pallid hand. "Do you look at me and think, _people person_?"

"Well, _I'm _not going to do it," Ty Lee replies to Mai, her hands shaking. She squints at the object of her childhood affections: the son of one of their teachers, older, training for the military.

They are eleven. The age of first crushes and missing eyeliner.

"Okay, Ty Lee, if he says yes he is some kind of terrifying pervert. He's sixteen or something," Mai continue, as if reading off of a numbered list. Ty Lee groans and kicks the floor, her uniform shoes making a scuffing sound on the cold stone.

"I only like _two people _and I have the best chance of dating him," Ty Lee whines, looking on the verge of tears.

Pause. Mai raises an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me you liked two people."

"It's none of your business anyway, Mai," Ty Lee says sharply, frowning.

Mai sighs. It is way too early for this. Azula isn't even here yet.

"Just tell me. I told you I liked Zuko... to the result of endless ridicule..." Mai rolls her eyes and toys with her incredibly boring textbook.

Ty Lee exhales slowly. "Alright. I'll tell you who I like, but you have to promise not to tell _ever_."

"I know, I know, standard rules of who you _like_. Just go on," Mai says, already bored.

"It's a little weird," Ty Lee begins and Mai sighs. Like pulling teeth with this girl. "It's a girl." Suddenly, Mai is much more interested. Then terrified; so help her, if Ty Lee _likes _her she might have to run away. "And she─"

"Tell me what you two are talking about," says a domineering voice from behind them and Ty Lee jumps about two feet in shock. "Go on."

"Boys and make-up and, hi, good morning, princess, I was just waiting for you to get here," stammers Ty Lee, her eyes rotund and hopeful.

Mai smirks.

_Oh._ And Ty Lee is in love with Azula. Which is... kind of disturbing. Also cute. Mostly creepy. Mai doesn't really know what to make of it.

"Mai, what were you two talking about?" Azula asks and Ty Lee looks like she is about to vomit.

She _likes _Azula bad.

"I wasn't paying enough attention to her to tell you, princess," Mai says hesitantly and Azula catches her winking at Ty Lee.

Azula sits down between her two best friends, sighing regally, and drops her textbook on Mai's hand... accidentally.

"If you say so," Azula says as Mai rubs her hand, wincing.

Ty Lee is bright red. Mai grits her teeth.

_You owe me, _Mai's eyes say.


	7. Don't you knock?

**#07: **Don't You Knock?  
**Prompted By: **GuitarBOSS

Ba Sing Se has fallen, and Zuko is delving deeper into the ship to evade all the scrutinizing eyes. The people _congratulating _him, of all things.

Zuko is feeling ill. He told the crew, Mai and most of the royal processions that he is _seasick_. Seasick. They all believed that, even after he was _at sea perpetually _for three years. Not to mention floating on a piece of driftwood endlessly with Uncle after the North Pole, only to be greeted by ─

"Azula?"

He says it in the exact same tone as he would when she is executing a surprise attack. Which, in Uncle's words, would not be so surprising. But this, this is much more shocking, as she is tangled, and mostly naked, pressed against a wall, halfway on a bed, with... with Ty Lee. Their tongues are in each other's mouths and Zuko is now a witness.

"Don't you knock?" Azula shrieks in such a shrill tone that it nearly shatters Zuko's eardrums. He tries to shut the door, accidentally shuts it on his foot, and it bounces open as he curses under his breath.

"Don't you lock?" is his breathless reply, golden eyes wide.

"_Don't I lock_? Oh, how very funny!" Azula exclaims, eyebrows nearly touching her raven hair.

"I thought it was kind of funny─"

"Shut up, Ty Lee," Azula snaps and the girl is silenced, lips squeezed tightly together and looking as if she has just had something thrown at her. Zuko's heart is racing at the speed of light as he wonders what he should do in this situation.

"I won't tell anyone, I swear. Don't do anything you would regret," Zuko stammers, trying to fade into the fabric of time itself. Despite being a foot taller and one hundred pounds of muscle larger than his sister, as she stands up, pulling up on the strap of her bra, he takes several steps backwards.

She holds up two fingers, mimes striking him with lightning pointedly as he flinches, then shuts the door.

After a brief pause, Zuko hears the click of the lock.

Prince Zuko, recently restored to Crown Prince Zuko, takes a deep breath. He just saw much more of his sister than he would have liked, and he moves with preternatural speed down the hall.

Slumped against the wall in the deserted kitchen, he breathes a sigh of relief.

Well... that was interesting.

Apparently Azula is...

"Still seasick, Zuko?" Mai asks dryly from behind, and Zuko can only stare at her with his lips slightly ajar.

"Uh, yeah."


	8. Pompeii

**#08: **"Pompeii" - Bastille  
**Prompted By: **FanfictionVillainess

"If you close your eyes, it's kind of like nothing changed," Ty Lee says blithely, her eyes squeezed shut.

Princess Azula does not respond, nor does she close her eyes. She never did when she was told to, not when her father took her to executions, not when teachers told her to do it, not... not even for the only person who seems to want to talk to her anymore.

It smells of Earth Kingdom summer; rot, decay and the stench of an overdeveloped city. Azula is repulsed by the fact that she has to go to Ba Sing Se to stay with her uncle, by her _mother _and her _brother _and their stupid faces at the breakfast table.

"It looks pretty different to me, Ty Lee," Azula says airily, carelessly, trying to restore some of her former dignity with a barbed tongue. The Princess crosses her arms over her chest. She gazes at the walls, shoddily built in comparison to what was there before. And she is on the inside this time, dressed in clothes that don't fit and being led about by a circus freak and a disgraced general.

"It looks different because your eyes are open, princess," Ty Lee responds overly sweetly, rubbing her thumb around Azula's palm. She is finding it hard to stay optimistic about this.

Azula grits her teeth and lets Ty Lee rub her hand and hold it. If this is what the people want, this is what they will get. Princess Azula shamefully hiding in this _disgusting _city. Mother will pay... eventually.

_And the walls came tumbling down. Azula feels entirely responsible, as she watches her new pets tear down the rings of Ba Sing Se. The ground shakes with the force and the air smells disgusting from the crushed dirt, dust, stone and age. It took uncle six hundred days to even breach the wall; it took Azula a week._

_Mai looks incredibly unimpressed by the sight. But Ty Lee reaches her hand over and intertwines her fingers with Azula. It is in this city that they kindled their fledging love, and Ty Lee can't help but feel that the crashing walls are a symbol of breaking down some of the walls around Princess Azula._

_And for the first time, Azula does not slip her fingers away._

Ty Lee guides Azula through the city, their hands locked together.

It almost feels like nothing changed at all.


	9. Cat Ears

**#09: **Cat Ears  
**Prompted By: **GuitarBOSS

Today begins with, "I want a pet."

Azula hears it before her eyes even open in the morning. She was peacefully sleeping, ready to train at daybreak as she always does, and then she heard, _I want a pet_. Not that she did not ever ask her father for a pet, but he always said no.

"I don't," Azula says, yawning. The sun is already up; she is screwed. This is not going to be a pleasant morning. "Pets are a hassle. You can't hire nannies to take care of your pets for you. Let's just have a baby. It sounds easier."

Ty Lee is not deterred. Her protuberant eyes sparkle as she sits with her hands on her knees, making a face like an animal begging for scraps. Well, there is _another _reason not to get a pet; they beg for food.

"Azula! We would be such loving pet parents! A new pet shop opened in the Shopping District," Ty Lee says, batting her eyes pointedly. Azula can only stare blankly. Usually such tactics work on the clever manipulator, strangely, but she is adamant about not having an animal to care for.

"What part of _Princess Azula the Conqueror _sounds like _loving pet parent _to you?" Azula crosses her arms, glancing at the door anxiously. She would do anything to get out of this situation.

"Please just look at the pets." Ty Lee clasps her fingers together. And Azula sighs haughtily.

"If you _insist_, I'll look at the pet store," Azula says, climbing out of bed. She dresses herself and goes to train.

Being Zuko's ward is most unpleasant. The only true fun Azula gets is playing with lightning and burning things by _accident_. He dares not protest, in case _he _is burned by _accident_. And now she has to worry about a pet.

Her father used to buy her pets. And then, after a week or so, give them away. She would simply come home from the Academy and find her pet missing. He always had some ridiculous excuse for doing it. But Azula knew it was simply to control every aspect of her life, and to display to her that he was the one with the power.

Since then, Azula cannot imagine having a pet.

But despite Azula's wishes, she finds herself spending the afternoon in the Capitol City. It is gross, dirty and always looked much better from behind curtains of a palanquin. But she stifles her unrest and walks into the pet store. It smells disgusting, with perfume over the scent of animal trying to mask the scent. The princess wrinkles her nose as Ty Lee grabs her hand and starts dragging her around.

"How about I just wait outside?" Azula offers, squinting at a squirrel-toad. It looks back at her and she recoils.

"Look, a kitty!" Ty Lee grabs a cat and it willingly enters her arms. Azula may be lucky, but she is sure she would get clawed if she did that. "She's so pretty. What's her name?"

Azula at first thinks Ty Lee is asking her, but then she notices that the pet shop owner is following them around.

"Whatever you want it to be, princess. I've just been calling her Ears," the old woman says, her voice gravelly and overly warm. Azula crosses her arms.

"Why _Ears_?" Azula asks scathingly and Ty Lee blushes. The acrobat knows she cannot bring the princess in public without some form of humiliation, but she cannot protest if she wants Azula to get her a cat. This is a _thousand _times worse than asking her _parents _for things.

"She has fluffy ears," the old woman replies, gesturing at the ears on the fluffy white cat. They are quite furry, Azula must admit. Ty Lee pets them and her eyes light up and sparkle.

"Pet the kitty, Azula. Pet her ears; they're so fluffy," Ty Lee says, grinning like a madwoman. Azula frowns and hesitantly reaches out her hand. She strokes the cat's ears and she supposes it feels nice, but the last cat she had that would sleep in her bed and rub against her leg, her father gave to one of his advisor's sons. She never saw it again.

"Yes, she is fluffy but I don't think─" And the cat is forced into her arms. It feels _nice _she supposes.

It digs its claws into Azula's shirt as she tries to give it back to her girlfriend. Ty Lee coos.

"Look she has claws like you, Azula! _Pwease be my mommy_. That's what she's saying!" Ty Lee says in a sing-song voice. This is _terrible_.

Azula examines her own fingernails briefly. She does have claws, doesn't she?

The princess examines the cat's yellow eyes. She sighs.

"Alright, we'll get the cat," Azula sighs, trying to hand Ears back to Ty Lee and finding the claws dug deeper into her. "This horrible, horrible cat."

"You're gonna love it..." Ty Lee squeals.

And... she is right.


	10. Three Words (AU)

**#10: **Three Words (slave!Ty Lee AU)  
**Prompted By: **Guest

Just one look from golden eyes was enough to seal Ty Lee's future. And that one stolen kiss was a particularly vicious form of torture. But what was dark and twisted blossomed into a beautiful forbidden love that made the princess glow to such a peculiar level that people wondered if they should ask.

A slave entertainer and a princess is not a pairing that is meant to be. Azula knows it is not, knows she should focus on securing the throne and not pursuing forbidden romantic interests. Then again, no matter how much she tries to embody lightning, embody the cold-blooded fire, and to be a weapon of war and the ideal crown princess... she is a sixteen year old girl.

It took surprisingly long for Fire Lord Ozai to discover his daughter's affair. He never understood her; he never bothered to understand her. But he did not want her touching his slave.

Azula moves through the palace like a shadow, light on her feet as any firebender would be. She inhales slowly, filling her lungs with the sickening aroma of dusk and archaic incense. Every night she burns as she slips to a secret meeting place. Beneath the branches of the ash white trees with ruby petals in place of leaves, that blow through the wind, sticking in her hair.

The pale moonlight illuminates her skin, her red mouth glittering as she sees that the object of her affections is already there. She wouldn't say she loves her, refuses to say she loves her. Azula attempts to deal with the conflicted emotions by casting them aside and focusing instead on being cold and strong.

_It would be too human of her to love._

It almost amuses Ty Lee that Princess Azula tries to disguise the fact that she is in love. The entertainer does not hide it, she is irrevocably bound to the princess in more than slavery. But Azula tries to act like her heart of stone is unscathed.

_"You always put on shackles a little too tight," the Fire Lord says to his daughter, pointedly after uncovering his daughter's activities, "because then, when they twist their wrists, it hurts a little. They never forget that they're slaves."_

_Azula does not respond._

Their lips meet once, twice, three times. Finally, they fall into a longer kiss, passionate, and concealed. Azula's heart beats and Ty Lee can feel it raging like the pulsing sun. They hold onto each other away from the eyes of others, hidden in bushes like peasant teenagers getting laid.

And Ty Lee continues with, "I thought you wouldn't come."

"Why?" Azula asks a little too sharply. The protuberant eyes of the slave girl glitter, her lips small, her face wounded. And Azula does not apologize, but she touches Ty Lee's hand lightly.

"Your father said you wouldn't." Silence. Swallow. Azula shrugs. "Happy birthday, princess."

"What else did my father say?" Azula demands, eyes flashing bright and bold. _Rage._

Ty Lee swallows. She was hoping the volatile Princess Azula would pay more attention to the comment about her birthday and not her father.

"Nothing," Ty Lee murmurs, attempting to kiss Azula again. But the princess slips away. _Hurt_.

"Did you tell him about us?" Azula asks icily, her fingers digging into the damp grass and mud.

"Of course not." Her voice is small, as if in a box.

Azula starts to stand up and Ty Lee grabs her. She half expects to be burnt, but Azula does not move.

"What are you doing?" Ty Lee murmurs, tugging on her slightly.

"I'm going to kill him. I told you I would kill him if he ever tried to pry us apart."

And Ty Lee pulls her down into a second kiss. Her fingers slip across Azula's skin, breathing her in, like breathing in ash and smoke, like breathing underwater.

"You know you don't want to do that. You love your father," Ty Lee whispers into Azula's neck.

Azula is silent. She does not know if she loves him, but she knows that she loves Ty Lee.

"Are you trying to trap me into saying that I love you?" Azula murmurs mockingly with a wicked smirk. The mood changes almost entirely and Ty Lee is startled by it. For someone so smooth and calculated, Azula can be violently unpredictable.

"Maybe," Ty Lee lies, leaning against the tree.

"It's not going to work." Kiss.

"I wouldn't expect you to tell a slave you loved her."

Azula is silent. "It has nothing to do with that. I just don't love things by principle," she says, trying to sound airy and cavalier.

"Things. I'm a thing." She sounds so... sure of it and it disgusts Azula. Her father warps everything he touches. Everyone he touches.

The princess doesn't know what to say. She can't lose, she can't give in and admit that she...

"Iloveyou," Azula says quickly, the words forced out without her usual fluid, purring tone of smug haughtiness.

Ty Lee only smiles.


	11. Proposal Part I

**#11: **Proposal Part I  
**Prompted By:** BabydollEyelashes &amp; GuitarBOSS

It is early morning, Azula has just finished her dawn training, and she is now settling down to attempt to eat. But her stomach feels as if she is about to vomit, as it has for the four days leading up to the Fire Festival. Because Uncle visits from Ba Sing Se ─ he is already here making loud noises in the kitchen, as if he is a particularly uncouth servant ─ and a variety of others will be showing up.

Like Ty Lee.

And Azula is trying to figure out exactly the right thing to say to win her over. This will be the most challenging of all of her negotiations, and even her inexhaustible wit is proving useless.

Azula convinced the Earth Kingdom to _give _her Ba Sing Se. She has coerced nearly every brilliant military mind. But... asking someone to marry her is making her draw a blank. It makes her want to burn down buildings, but instead, she is trying to hide it.

"Azula, I don't like that look on your face," Mai says, cocking an eyebrow. "You look like you're conniving. I sleep with _multiple _knives."

"I'm not going to murder you and Zuko in your sleep. Unless you keep making comments like that, of course," Azula replies sharply, looking far from amused.

Mai sighs and does not respond. It is a bright morning, Azula is still dressed in training clothes, her clavicle exposed from the fabric that hangs loosely around her slender body. Her golden eyes are focused intently on the wall, her pupils lost in her thoughts. And Mai is peeling apart an orange with a knife with impressive dexterity.

"I finished the tea," says a loud, confident voice and Azula jumps and flinches. Mai hides her smirk behind a slice of her fruit. Former General Iroh walks into the dining room, which is hosting the two beautiful royals and an assortment of breakfast foods that they are barely touching.

"Was that statement really necessary enough to interrupt me?" Azula murmurs, half to herself.

"So you _are _conniving," Mai says, leaning in so close that Azula can smell the oranges on her breath. She raises her eyebrow again and Azula fights the urge to singe it off. "Come on, tell us."

Before Azula can respond with an icy, snide remark, Iroh interrupts with, "Her girlfriend is visiting today, Mai."

Mai cannot hide her smirk this time. Azula pushes her feebly, a weak shove and Mai starts laughing. Iroh smiles too warmly, much to Azula's disgust, and pours them both mint tea. The aroma is strong and Azula hates to admit that it is pleasant.

"Your girlfriend is visiting, Azula?" Mai laughs and Azula pointedly looks away. "That's... I don't even know what to say about that."

"Uncle, you have no right to─ "

"May I say that I think your relationship is a beautiful thing," Iroh says with a warm smile and Azula rolls her eyes and slumps in her chair with the grace and poise of a twelve year old being lectured by their parents. "She makes you glow."

"I am not _glowing_, uncle. I think you're just developing cataracts from old age."

Iroh ignores her, which simply seems to enrage her more. "You both are a beautiful, and clearly care for each other deeply."

"Maybe... glaucoma. Definitely worse than cataracts," Azula says sharply and sweetly, like a dagger dipped in honey. Mai sucks in a deep breath to keep from laughing at the absurdity of this breakfast.

Azula sighs and wonders if she should simply get up and leave. Uncle is sitting down calmly, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"So what are you conniving, Azula?" Mai asks, trying to change the subject.

"I told you not to invade my privacy, and I would appreciate it if you listened," Azula snaps, crossing her arms and glaring at her breakfast. She feels as if they are ripping her open and vivisecting her and it is utterly disgusting.

"Ah, I see," Uncle says as if he can read her mind. That is _Azula's _talent, not his. "You have an important question for her, don't you?"

"You're getting more and more senile every day Uncle." Azula shoves her plate across the table and stands up pointedly. Mai notices she is shaking, but is too busy watching the scene to say anything. "It's a wonder we don't just lock you up somewhere nice for you to die in peace."

Mai makes a choking sound and Azula flashes her a gilded glare.

"These accusations of me loving her are greatly exaggerated," Azula continues as she starts to walk away. "I mean, what reason would I have to _love _her, Uncle?"

"One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving," Uncle says and Azula rolls her eyes again. "Keep that in mind."

"More infinite wisdom from the Nation's greatest failure," Azula says airily before haughtily sighing and abandoning her breakfast.

She returns to her bedroom, sighing again and lying on the bed. Across from her is a betrothal bracelet, golden, forged in hot fire. Metal wrapped around your wrist to signify you're getting married. Like shackles.

How disturbingly fitting.

This _love _accusation is preposterous. Azula just has the feeling of her ribs being torn open and someone being inside of her, just messing up her insides. And apparently marriage must be the solution to this kind of injury, that hurts far worse than snapped bones and burnt ankles.

This _better _work out tonight.


	12. Proposal Part II

**#12: **Proposal Part II  
**Prompted By: **BabydollEyelashes &amp; GuitarBOSS

That night, Azula is forced to attend the Nation's favorite festival. It is not necessarily _terrible_. Not as bad as it was when she was a child. At least now she can drink and fade into the shadows, instead of being forced to stand up, look pretty and look perfect. Dolled up like her father's bauble to show off the little princess.

Azula has yet to think of her perfect speech, the exact words that will win this battle. It is driving her mad as she leans over the edge of a bridge, she and her girlfriend slipping away from the loud festival. The fireworks have been blasting incessantly for an hour now, almost since sunset.

"It's a really nice night," Ty Lee says brightly, squinting at the water rushing below. It is stained red from the confetti.

"It's not _dreadful_," Azula replies and mentally flinches. _Try to be romantic, princess. Because they taught you how to be romantic when teaching you how to win wars..._

"You look kinda, uh, sick. Do you want to go home?" Ty Lee asks, slipping her arm around Azula's waist. And a feeling like electricity surges through her. Some sick combination of happiness and arousal and she wants to _crush_ it.

"I want to ask you something," Azula says, relieved her speech is remaining smooth and cold, like the water below the bridge they stand on.

"Okay!" She sounds far too excited. If this goes downhill...

Azula cannot find the right words, and they are far overdue.

Years of training in _saying the right thing_. Incessant lessons. Practice. Sweat dripping from Long Feng's forehead. Princess Azula can ask someone to marry her. This is _not _so difficult. Come on.

"Uh, Azula?" and a hand is being waved in front of her eyes. Azula blinks three times, dizzy, and clears her throat.

"I..." Azula pauses. "Are you cold?"

_No_. She feels totally ridiculous.

"Oh, I, uh..." Ty Lee looks somewhat disappointed. Azula's heart speeds up significantly as she wonders if someone guessed Azula's intentions and _told _the Kyoshi Warrior. "A little?"

"Maybe we should go somewhere warmer," Azula says, as if it is a command, though she is berating herself internally.

"Okay," Ty Lee says, turning her palms up and grinning.

She voraciously seizes Azula's hand and starts walking with her through the streets, towards the quaint shops now decorated with paper lanterns that burn bright and smell strongly of incense. Masks of spirits and so many performers that walking anywhere is a hazard of your hair catching ablaze.

"The festival is beautiful," Ty Lee remarks as they stand near a fire. It is certainly warmer and Azula is regretting her stupid lie. Now she glitters with sweat and feels even queasier. But she does not show it; her face is stony and haughty, looking down her nose ever so slightly at the peasants around her. "But not as beautiful as _you_."

See, why can't Azula say things like that? Why?

"I know," Azula replies before feeling twice as ridiculous. This night is not going as well as she planned. The metal bracelet in her dress pocket presses against her hip, now heated metal searing into her as a reminder of her purpose.

"That street performer is really good."

"His form is all wrong." _Internal cringe_. Romance! Ugh.

"I wouldn't know." Ty Lee shrugs lightly. She now has developed a perpetual look of concern on her delicate features. "I'm less cold now."

Azula takes a deep breath. She has to do this eventually, and she might as well attempt it.

"That's good. I don't want you to be cold." Was that romantic? She doesn't know anymore.

"You don't have to say anything, Azula." Lips press against hers. Azula sinks into it, relieved.

But when the kiss breaks, Azula says, "I have to say something."

"Okay." Ty Lee's protuberant eyes sparkle with fear. Azula would usually like such a thing, but right now she wishes this were easier.

"I was trying to think of something romantic to say. About how I _love _you, or _why _I love you. But to be honest, I couldn't think of any." Pause. Ty Lee looks wounded. How could this be going so wrong? Azula thinks as quickly as she possibly can and frantically settles on, "I love you because, I love you. There's no reason needed for loving."

Reciting Uncle's senile wisdom seems like the worst possible option, yet Azula is beyond desperate at this point. But, to her utter shock, Ty Lee grins and kisses her again.

"That is only the _most _romantic thing I have ever heard!"

"Oh, well, I thought of it myself. Just for you," Azula says smoothly, finally back on her game. She feels a rush; not quite a _destroying Ba Sing Se _rush, but a rush at that. "I didn't want to ask you if you were cold. I wanted to ask if you would marry me."

Pause. Azula reaches into her pocket and holds out the bracelet feebly. Ty Lee stares at her blankly, with a face of a baffled kitten. No...

"Yes! Of course!" And she jumps into Azula's arms, nearly knocking her into the fire.

_Victory is sweet_.


	13. Jealous Glances

**#13:** Jealous Glances  
**Prompted By: **swanqueenallday

"You know," Mai says, sitting very close to Azula, "She only flirts with those guys to make you jealous."

They are at a party celebrating the victory over Ba Sing Se. Zuko has been squirming in the spotlight, and Azula has been brushed aside after attracting too much attention. _Making Zuko _uncomfortable, father had said with almost a wink. Perhaps a wink; Azula could not tell.

She and Mai are in the corner, watching Ty Lee dance with about five horny soldiers.

"So it would seem," Azula replies halfheartedly, her lip curled into a small snarl Mai doubts she notices.

"Just look. She glances over at you every five seconds when she's hitting on that Water peasant, and on Ember Island she was just _begging _you to─"

"I don't want to have sex with you, Mai," Azula replies calmly, averting her eyes from the scene Ty Lee is making. They are, of course, off to the side at the stuffy victory party.

"What? What kind of answer is that?" Mai looks genuinely bewildered and Azula is amazed that she made such a distinct facial expression.

"You're constantly just trying to tear down Ty Lee. Acting like she's trying to make me jealous all the time. _You're _jealous, Mai, I understand. I mean, if you _really _want to, perhaps we─ "

"I _love _Zuko, Azula. I don't want to ─ I can't ─ why would you come to that conclusion?" Mai's lips are parted in shock as she stares at her disinterested best friend.

"You're protesting an awful lot," Azula replies with a pointed yawn.

"I was just saying that _maybe _you should ask her out and she would stop doing that." Mai is already regretting getting involved.

"She's obviously interested in boys, and those other than me. _You're _the one sitting here with your hand on my knee. I mean, Mai, think clearly now." Azula's snarl turns into a satisfied smirk.

"I hate you." Mai's hand shoots away from Azula as if her leg were on fire. "But look, she looks at you and she _wants _you to be jealous because you never seal the deal with her. You always just leave her hanging and she's trying to push you to the point that you walk over there and punch all those men in the face and just ravage her or something."

Silence. Azula cocks an eyebrow. "I feel as if my father might frown upon that course of action."

But she watches the scene and _does _notice the occasional glances.

_Look at me, look at me, these boys could be you..._

Perhaps Mai is right.


	14. Surprise on a Vacation

**#14: **Surprise on a Vacation  
**Prompted By: **Koka Kola Veins &amp; Clueless

"Surprise!"

And with that word, Azula is hit in the stomach by something very hard and very cold that explodes upon impact with her muscles. She spins around, golden eyes narrowed on whoever had the _gall _to hit her with a snowball. _Ty Lee_. Of course.

Azula hates the South Pole. People keep talking about how much nicer it has gotten, but she cannot fathom how anything could be worse than this. And now, shaking even under the fur parka she feels trapped in, she has been assaulted by a ball of _snow_.

"You want to see a snowball, Ty Lee?" Azula says, reaching down. The acrobat shrugs and grins. "I'll show you a snowball."

"Now?"

"No. No, I'm saving this. For when it will actually be a surprise." And Azula takes the snow in her ridiculous tri-fingered gloves, and slips beneath an icy rooftop.

Azula leans against a wall, exhaling smoke every few breaths to _try _to warm up. But it is freezing and she is about ready to throttle one of the dignitaries. She bites off one of her gloves, juggling the snowball carefully around herself. And with a little, tiny bit of blue fire... melts it into a weapon of ice a waterbender would be jealous of.

_Hitting her with a snowball..._

And so Azula plots and connives, and just after the elaborate dinner with Chief Hakoda and Azula's sniveling brother, Ty Lee is walking with some of her new friends. She makes friends everywhere she goes and it is _repulsive_.

From the perfect position, she plucks up the ball of jagged ice and ─

"Surprise!" shouts Zuko, and Azula hits the snow. Coughing, her tongue suddenly cold, the beautiful snowball of carnage rolls away down the slippery stairs.

"You ruined my snowball of carnage!" Azula is being picked up by the soft hands of her fiancée as she tries to be intimidating while covered in snow and wrapped in a parka. "I will make you pay so hard that your pasty little children owe me debts."

"They'd probably sigh a lot about it," Ty Lee remarks, sniggering. "_There's no fathoming the depths of my hatred for my dad that one time ruining our aunt's snowball _of... what? Of... death?"

"Carnage. Snowball of carnage. I melted it to be bladed, "Azula sighs, but there is no point in explaining herself to these blithering morons. "Well, you both surprised me. I hope you're proud of your accomplishments today."

"I'm going to sleep with the lamps on," Zuko says, smirking. And he is gone.

"It was still pretty surprising, princess," Ty Lee offers feebly. Azula rolls her eyes.

"I hate surprises anyway," Azula admits under her breath.

She presses her lips against her fiancée's, and completely ignores the fact that her tongue tastes like water tribe food.

A snowball hits Azula in the back of the head, sheared in half by her ruby crown.

"Ew, guys, get a room!"

Katara.


	15. Secret

**#15: **Secret  
**Prompted By: **HeavenBesideYou13

"I don't understand how you make so many _friends_. One friend is enough for me," Azula says airily, crossing her arms.

It is the terrible trio's second midnight of being best friends again and the wedding is approaching far too fast. Azula sips her wine and tries not to panic about the fact that she is getting married, as Ty Lee is listing all two-hundred-forty guests to Mai, who is starting to drool ever so slightly from boredom.

"Azula, we're friends again," Mai says, looking unimpressed. Or perhaps that is just her face at resting; Azula is feeling... fuzzy.

"No, no, you're my one friend, Mai, of course," Azula says honestly, sipping from an empty glass. She rolls her eyes to accentuate her point.

"Well, then what am I?" Ty Lee demands, her eyebrows shooting up. Azula squints at her.

"We're getting married. We can't be friends anymore," Azula responds, nodding. She takes another sip from the empty glass and Ty Lee knocks it out of her hand. "I was drinking that!"

"We are _best friends_. We are all _best friends _and we will be _until we die_. All three of us," Ty Lee says with such ferocity that Mai is floored.

"It's funny you say that," Mai says, her eyes sparkling in a way that Azula does not like. "Because the reason that you make so many friends is why Azula and I befriended you in the first place."

Azula swallows. Quickly, smoothly and as collectedly as she can, she insists,"This is a very unnecessary story, Mai. We're all a little tipsy and─"

"No, no, Azula, please, Ty Lee should know. You two are getting married." The sadistic pleasure in her amber eyes makes Azula's gut twist. Her first inclination is to light something on fire to create a diversion, but she ultimately decides to face the music. "Azula and I befriended you because we were jealous that you were new at school but became popular so quickly. And so we decided to be your friend."

"That doesn't make much sense..." Ty Lee furrows her brow. Mai smirks for a flicker of a heartbeat. Azula grits her teeth.

"Well, first we asked you to be friends with us. _Then _we destroyed all of your old friendships by spreading rumors about you. And to secure your friendship with us, I bribed and Azula threatened everyone into saying it was your old friends who spread those rumors," Mai explains as Azula looks slightly green. The Fire Lady smirks again.

Ty Lee's lips part in surprise; her eyes glitter and swell with tears.

"We didn't mean to betray you. I just really wanted to be friends with you," Azula lies in sugary tone, crawling across the stone floor and wrapping one arm awkwardly around Ty Lee. Mai suppresses laughter.

"I'm not crying because it was mean," Ty Lee says, resting her head on Azula's shoulder. Mai takes a deep breath, trying to control how humorous she finds this. "It's the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

"What?" Azula asks, raising an eyebrow. Mai bites her lip fiercely.

"You made _that _elaborate of a ruse just to be friends with me! It's the most romantic thing ever!" Ty Lee leans to kiss Azula, misses, and plants her lips firmly on the princess's nose. Azula makes a small, alien choking sound.

"You found your soul mate, princess..." Mai murmurs, finally chuckling.


	16. Kiss

**Warning**: This drabble is an outtake from _Restraint _because I had requests for that. I try to make them so they can stand alone without the fic, and are without major spoilers. But there are references to the fic and all, so *mild* spoilers afoot.

* * *

**#16: **Gilded Kisses and Sapphire Stars, or Outtake from Restraint (during Chapter 37)  
**Prompted By: **ice cold desire

In the glow of the lanterns, the thousand stars are overshadowed by earthly fire.

It is _too _pretty, _too _quaint and Azula finds no pleasure in it. Ty Lee's eyes reflect the glowing lights, wide and excited by it. How anything thrills her anymore is startling to Azula who is honestly simply exhausted from caring for a baby who drains the life from her.

"You look nice," Azula attempts as her fingers are interlocked with her wife's.

"Azula," Ty Lee says, her eyes suddenly wide. Azula swallows; she does not know what she could have said wrong. "That was a real compliment! Not a disguised insult!"

"I suppose it was." Azula shrugs. Pretends she does not care. Cools the blush on her cheeks.

She sparkles in the lamplight somehow, tearing Azula apart. It feels oddly liberating to be away from Azusami's clinging and crying. Just set free from a cage and given the opportunity to have a _date_.

"I don't think we've ever had a date that ended very well," Azula murmurs, smirking. She leans against a steel wall, the metal hot against her back. The summer burns with vivacity, the hot night like the heated, feverish kisses of a couple that has been married for three years today.

On the week when the fire lilies bloom.

"You haven't been doing so well lately," Ty Lee says softly, leaning next to Azula as they watch the rich kids play in the brilliantly lit streets. Azula frowns.

_Of course_. Of course this is going to turn into a dissection of her so _fractured _mind. Of her struggles with _motherhood_.

"I don't want to hear it," Azula says sharply, glaring at a kissing teenage couple across the way. "Look, I got you a gift."

Ty Lee is instantly distracted from her attempt to psychoanalyze her wife and her borderline post-partum depression. Azula is immensely grateful that she did not marry the brightest candle in the bunch. Even if she is the shiniest one of the lot.

"Yay!" She claps two hands together as Azula hands her a gilded necklace with a sapphire stone.

Ty Lee likes expensive, useless trinkets. She glows as she clasps it around her neck, the blue stone resting atop her cleavage, on the outside of her red dress with too many bows.

"Good, you like it." Azula knew she would like it, of course.

"Do you remember the kiss after that fight in Ba Sing Se?" Ty Lee murmurs and of course Azula does.

"It was reckless and insane. Not part of my usual repertoire I admit," Azula says with a small smirk. They were just breathing so heavily, and gasping and Azula felt that the only thing she could do was... well...

"It was the kind of kiss that made me know I had never been so happy in my whole life," Ty Lee murmurs, leaning very close.

"Well, isn't that romantic?" Scathing response, of course. Ty Lee rolls her eyes when Azula isn't looking. And cue her dramatic, silvery tone of haughty mockery with, "I did have a compound fracture and three broken ribs, you know? But if my agony pleases you─"

She is met by warm lips against hers. Pressure and fingers clasped around her wrists.

It is the kind of kiss that makes her forget everything that is making her hurt.

Maybe she isn't as happy as she has been in her whole life. Some days Azula is downright miserable.

But it is the kind of kiss that makes everything else disappear.


	17. Fire Nation Beauty

**#17: **Fire Nation Beauty  
**Prompted By: **x0xcoffeeandcigarettesx0x

Azula never liked being submerged in water. It just seems counterintuitive, as a firebender, born from flame, born from dragon fire. But the hot water warms her skin as the scented candles burn and fill the room with a floral scent. She always liked floral and disliked citrus.

The petals stick to her pallid skin. Rose petal baths did not appear to include this kind of _sticking _of the ruby petals plucked from the gardens of the royal palace. She runs her fingertips through the clear water that is stained red like blood.

"This is really nice. We deserve this," Ty Lee says, interrupting Azula's reverie.

"Of course we do. Conquering Ba Sing Se and all." Azula plucks a rose petal off of herself and drops it onto one of the candles.

Ty Lee slips forward in the water, her body speckled in petals and her hair dripping with the hot water. She leans forward and kisses Azula on the lips. It feels quite good, Azula must admit. She is on Azula's lap in the deep bath, water heated by fire, candles glowing a bright blue as Azula seizes control of them to keep from losing control of herself.

Their hands slip over each other, dripping and naked against each other.

"So when are we going to tell people about us?" Ty Lee asks halfway through and Azula's eyes flicker wide.

"After the Invasion," Azula lies quickly. To be honest, she has no idea when she is going to confess what she and Ty Lee have been doing. "We have to at least get through that."

Ty Lee screws up her face in the shadows of blue light, the steam from the bath muddying her thoughts.

"You're embarrassed of this. Ugh, the princess and the circus freak." Ty Lee splashes the water and two of the candles are killed by the motion. Azula swallows, feeling trapped.

She pauses, parting her lips to speak. Ty Lee leans back, the petals peeling from her body in the steamy air. And Azula swallows.

"I'm not embarrassed of this. I could never be," she attempts.

"You are. That's why you won't tell anyone." Ty Lee closes her eyes and pouts, leaning against the porcelain of the bath.

"You think that? I'll prove you wrong." Azula is good at doing things over spite. She gets out of the bath and wraps a ruby towel around herself. "Come on. Come on."

Ty Lee gets up and pulls on Azula's robe. She follows Azula down the hall as Azula punches open the door to Zuko's room.

"Oh, fuck, Azula, we're busy─!"

"Mai, I'm dating Ty Lee!" Azula declares regally, as if announcing an execution.

"You didn't have to break down the door to tell us that," Mai replies, covering her exposed chest with her hands.

"She insisted that everyone know."

Ty Lee blushes and shrinks.

Zuko can only stare. "Wait..." he murmurs. "Why are you covered in flowers?"


	18. I can't see the stars (AU)

**#18: **I Can't See the Stars (AU Sozin's Comet)  
**Prompted By: **Zippy Saboteur

_"We do this together," _Aang had said, and he knew it was the right choice. They broke into two groups, two teams, and now Aang, Katara, Zuko and the two girls are waiting for the inevitable.

The comet streaks across the sky, blacking out the stars.

_"We do this together," _Ozai had said, and it made his daughter smile. It was her idea, after all. She deserved to be taken with him as he overtook the Earth Kingdom.

Azula squints at the comet, feeling the surge of power within her. It is like breathing in a thousand suns, but it feels wrong. Everything seems to be categorized in _before _Ty Lee betrayed her, and _after _Ty Lee betrayed her. Before Ty Lee betrayed her, her life was like this night, but there were stars, points of light and reason. When she betrayed her, it streaked across her sky like a comet, blinding Azula. She couldn't see the stars anymore after that. No logic, no reason. She couldn't see the stars, just like she cannot tonight.

Ty Lee holds Mai's hand anxiously. Zuko cracks his knuckles over and over again, glancing at his girlfriend upon occasion. They escaped the Boiling Rock with him. He turned back to save Mai after she saved him and the act of reciprocity leads Katara, Aang and Zuko to believe that they now have the upper hand.

Azula and Fire Lord Ozai find themselves face to face with the Avatar and his friends. And _her _friends. Traitors, both of them. Azula... Azula does not care what happens to them anymore.

The fight breaks out before anything makes sense. The Avatar moves for her father and he abandons her to take on four competent fighters on her own. The clash between her father and the Avatar will be remembered forever, but Azula is left to narrowly dodge the water and ice coming her way, the knives trying to split her skin and the flames she blocks around her body. Counterattacks of azure light up the night, illuminating the missing stars like a blue supernova giving out on itself. A cosmic explosion.

Aang collides with a rock; Fire Lord Ozai is propelled back by the sudden gust of airbending. It whips Azula's hair around in the wind as she narrowly dodges Zuko's flames. They are powerful, beyond powerful, which Azula never thought she would see from her brother.

The fire burns the cold night, three firebenders with more power than the combustion of the sun. Mai is down with a blast of blue flame. She stumbles and hits her neck. Zuko runs to her side, creating a wall of fire to shield himself that Azula penetrates at the last moment with a bolt of lightning.

Katara shifts the tides, literally, and covers Mai and Zuko in a bubble. Ty Lee cartwheels forward and Azula is frozen momentarily. She shoots lightning to the side, narrowly missing Katara and breaking the waterbender's concentration. Her arm is hit by a single punch and Azula gasps.

She takes two steps back.

"Take her bending!" Zuko shouts as he helps a stumbling Mai to her feet.

Hesitation. Azula gives one glance and Ty Lee swallows.

"She can't do it, Zuko." Mai reaches into her pocket for her knife.

Aang plunges down into the water and Katara screams. Fire Lord Ozai turns to the scene of ice shards flying at Azula, knives shearing the fabric on her armor, and Ty Lee hesitating with glassy eyes in the middle of it all.

Ozai takes down Katara with flames that her shield of water cannot stop. She only prevents herself from falling like Aang by securing her feet in place with rapidly melting ice.

Azula dodges Ty Lee, who came to life as Ozai became locked in combat with his son. Zuko runs out of breath; Azula is breathless as she dodges a barrage of punches and meets them with powerful fire from one arm, the other wrapped around herself.

_"How many stars do you think there are?" Ty Lee asks, staring at the sky. Azula was never much for gazing at the sky and she is standing, bored, on the ship. She is on her way back from a miserable failure with the drill and is not in the mood to discuss the _sky_._

_"Do I look like the kind of person who cares about that?" Azula replies airily, cocking an eyebrow. Ty Lee purses her lips and looks embarrassed._

_Azula regrets it, but she simply shrugs. She won't show weakness._

Ozai moves towards the scene as Ty Lee is about to dig a thumb into Azula's shoulder. He tosses the acrobat onto the ground with ease as Aang rises from the depths, distracted momentarily by helping Katara, who was burned by the Fire Lord. Azula is amazed at the... teamwork. The way they care about each other. Nobody would do that for her.

"Don't touch my daughter," Ozai growls and Azula notices what is happening a little too late. Her father summons a fist of flame. Ty Lee flinches, sweat dripping down her nose.

And then Ozai falls, screaming. Hit by lightning. The Avatar and his friends are silenced, Aang glancing over his shoulder. The Avatar moves to finish the fight as a strange and vivid feeling of liberation surges through Azula's veins. Mai drops the blade she has drawn.

"Don't touch my girlfriend."


	19. On Freud and Fingernails

**#19: **On Freud and Fingernails  
**Prompted By: **GuitarBOSS

Zuko and Azula walk through the hall after a painful audience with former generals demanding _more _compensation. Azula lashed them pretty well, Zuko has to admit, the girl has a tongue like a shirshu. Now, defeated, they walk towards the living quarters of the palace.

"Wait; I hear talking," Azula murmurs, seizing Zuko's muscular arm and forcing them both against a door. It is to a small parlor that was little used when Azula was a child, and is now actually lived in by the royal family.

"We can't just─"

"Shut up about your morality," Azula whispers lightly, pressing her entire slender form against the heavy wooden door. "They're talking about _you_, brother..."

It feels like a trap, but Zuko caves in. Any insight into Mai he is greedy for, which Azula finds absolutely hilarious. They are both pinned against the door, eavesdropping. Azula feels like a little kid listening in on war meetings again.

"Is it normal that he talks about his mother so much after sex?" Mai sighs as Azula sucks in air to keep from laughing. "No, really. It's kind of disturbing."

"Mai, you're the female figure in his life because his mom abandoned him. Just accept it," Ty Lee responds, the smile in her voice audible.

"So... he thinks he's screwing his mom when he's screwing me..." Mai says, accentuating her words with another sigh. "That's not disturbing to you? And he has such low sexual self esteem. Like he always has to ask how he's doing and it just... I don't know... I don't even know."

Azula is shaking with silent giggles as Zuko's face is as red as his scar.

"It's not that bad. Do you at least enjoy yourself?"

"Of course. If I wasn't enjoying sex with him I would be having like ten affairs by now," Mai sighs yet again. "He's not _altogether _disappointing. Just the mom thing ─ _bleck_."

Silence. Azula and Zuko's muscles tense as they hope Mai and Ty Lee aren't about to burst through the door.

"It's not that bad," Ty Lee says sweetly. "Have you seen Azula's fingernails?"

And Zuko smirks. Azula smacks him on the back of the head and he winces.

"Like, I think she thinks it's sexy. But just, just, feel, Mai." Silence. Mai makes a choking sound. "Yeah, just imagine that but longer. It feels like cold talons of death on my tits."

'Cold talons of death' Zuko mouths to Azula and she purses her lips.

"Yet, you love her," Mai says, sounding bored by the fact. "And I love Zuko. Why did we do this? Why did we not see the crazy and escape? Why do we stay up all night with night terrors and deal with insane ordeals and _ugh _Ursa? We should've run for the hills as soon as the war ended."

"Probably. Maybe we just got so used to the insanity that our lives don't feel complete without it," Ty Lee offers blithely and Mai sighs again.

"We are so fucked up." Silence. Mai chortles. "Cold talons of death."

Before Azula and Zuko can react, the door opens. They stumble back several feet as Mai and Ty Lee walk out.

"Oh, you guys are done," Ty Lee says brightly as Mai narrows her eyes.

"What were you two doing?" Mai inquires, crossing her arms.

Zuko's lips open and close for a moment. "Azula! Tell Mai what we were doing."

"Just passing by," Azula says softly, smirking. She wraps her arm around Ty Lee's thin waist and starts walking down the hall. "Oh, but Zuko was eavesdropping on your conversation. I told him not to."

Ty Lee giggles.


	20. Azula is Desensitized to Violence (AU)

**#20: **Azula is Desensitized to Horror Films (Semi-Modern AU)  
**Prompted By: **Streetlight Eyes

"Oh, Agni!" Ty Lee shrieks, possibly waking the entire palace of servants and royals. "How? Was that ─ they just removed his entire _jaw_!"

Princess Azula and her paramour are situated in Azula's dark bedroom, lit by a ruby lava lamp. The expensive television is playing a gruesome scene where a Fire Nation soldier is being ripped to bits by the overly buff hands of a scarred man dressed in rags. Ty Lee has cried twice already, but is clinging on in hopes of not distressing her date.

What Azula wants, she gets.

"I know. I'm watching. Sh." Azula's lips brush against Ty Lee's, although her golden eyes are still focused on the television screen.

It is a gory slasher about a group of promiscuous Fire Nation teenagers in the colonies who are hunted down by a gruesomely deformed earthbender. When Azula agreed to go on a date with Ty Lee after conquering Ba Sing Se, Ty Lee certainly did not imagine it involving so much _blood _and _guts_. She imagined it more along the line of glowing blue scented candles and maybe some rice wine.

"Azula, I'm too scared," Ty Lee whispers, clamping her hands over her eyes. Azula sighs haughtily. "I can't do this anymore."

"There are thirty minutes left in the movie. That's just enough time for _that _girl to beat the killer and escape. I mean, everyone else is dead already," Azula explains as if speaking to a child or pet. "You made it through the scene where he crushed all of that boy's bones into bits, you can make it through the running and tripping scene."

"How are you not terrified?" Ty Lee wraps herself tightly around Azula's slender form.

"Once you start, it stops being disturbing. Sometimes they aren't gory _enough_," Azula sighs, studying her nails and trying to hide the blush on her cheeks in the glow of the lamp. "I mean, none of this bothers me anymore. I've seen public executions more _exciting_."

Ty Lee buries her face in Azula's shoulder and tries not to hear the labored screams of the last girl. A good Fire Nation nationalist from the homeland, daughter of a decorated admiral and virgin. Of course her traitorous friends were the first to go.

"No, you have to watch. Watch, she's about to burn him alive, Ty Lee," Azula whispers into the ear of her violently shaking girlfriend.

"I can't do it..." Ty Lee keeps her eyes closed tightly as Azula lifts her and positions her to face the scream.

"_And _you missed it," Azula sighs and Ty Lee opens her eyes just to see flames erupting from the last girl's hands and engulfing the howling earthbender. The melting on his flesh is almost as realistic as watching it in real life.

"I didn't miss it! You're a liar, Azula! I'm going to have so many ─ do all faces look like that when they melt? ─ nightmares!" Ty Lee howls, her eyes swelling with tears.

"It's over. Relax; it's over. We'll watch your _Real Housewives of Caldera _or whatever," Azula says faux sweetly, kissing Ty Lee on her trembling lips.

"Would you ever let that terrible killer get me?" Ty Lee asks in a high, seductive tone as the kiss breaks, sitting on Azula's lap.

"Probably not. Although it always has been a dream of mine for all my friends to be murdered and I defeat the killer and get all the glory," Azula says airily and Ty Lee makes a small whimpering sound. "I promise I won't let any rogue earthbenders kill you."

Azula presses the remote and turns on a reality show with two women tearing at each other's hair.

"You know," Azula whispers as Ty Lee gulps and tries to look at the bright colors of the suburban Caldera manor, "I once read that fear and arousal have the same biological reaction."

They fall back onto Azula's crimson bed.


	21. Dare or Dare

**#21: **Dare or Dare, or That Time Mai Kissed Ty Lee and Azula Got Jealous  
**Prompted By: **LoveandLust

"We can't play truth or dare," Katara says sharply and Sokka boos at her. But then Katara smirks. "We have to play _dare_."

Katara, Aang and Sokka are currently in the Fire Nation for a visit. Aang is checking up on Princess Azula as her official parole officer, while Katara and Sokka are dealing with Water Tribe business. Azula was doing astoundingly well, in a moderately healthy romantic relationship, and making her brother's life as miserable as she possibly could. All is well, in Aang's opinion.

The room is dimly lit by candles on mounts that are worth more than entire houses. Bottles of liquor are spread about and it feels to Ty Lee like a sleepover party. Which, of course, excites her incredibly. She was the one to suggest truth or dare.

"I've never played truth or dare before. Or, uh, dare," Zuko remarks awkwardly, rubbing his neck. Mai rolls her eyes and sighs loudly.

"Did you grow up _under a rock_?" Mai asks and Sokka starts laughing. "It's not that difficult. We're basically all just going to make-out with each other."

"Wait... what...?" Zuko murmurs, but no one is listening to the Fire Lord anymore.

"But nobody dare Mai to make out with Azula," Ty Lee declares shrilly and Aang raises an eyebrow.

"Why, what happens?" Aang asks, leaning forward curiously. This has been a _most _enlightening trip to the Fire Nation.

"Well, Azula's just _too much tongue _and Mai is _too little tongue _and it's just disappointing to watch," Ty Lee explains blithely and Azula makes a choking sound.

"I am not _too much tongue_," Azula says and Katara guffaws. "Mai, get over here!"

"I don't have to listen to you," Mai replies flatly, crossing her arms.

"Well, I _dare _you to listen to me," Azula says pointedly. Mai sighs and crawls across the floor.

"We are adults," Zuko says in his best, calm Fire Lord tone, not liking the idea of Mai making out with someone one bit. Or the idea of him making out with anyone here except for his wife. "We are in our twenties. Just because we break out a little alcohol doesn't mean we have to all make out with each other."

"Boooo!" Katara throws her glass at Zuko and he barely catches it. "We deserve a little fun after saving the world every day. Or, uh, whatever it is Azula, Mai and Ty Lee do."

Mai replies, "Make the world a worse place just by existing. Okay, but I get to _dare _you next, princess."

"This is the _best _Fire Nation trip ever," Sokka says, his eyes sparkling with happy tears.

"Booo, you too," Katara says, punctuating her jeer with a glare at her brother.

"Alright, get over here and kiss Ty Lee to show her that I'm a way better kisser than everyone else," Azula says, pointing her thumb at her girlfriend.

"That wasn't what I was expecting," Mai sighs as Ty Lee's lips part in surprise.

"Azula, I'm not going to─" Ty Lee stammers, breaking out into a sweat. Her girlfriend is of the jealous type.

"No, Azula dared you," Sokka interrupts forcefully, holding up one finger. Katara stifles her laughter with one hand. "You have to."

"Thank you, peasant," the princess says, looking down her nose at him. "Go on."

"Alright. I'm doing this," Mai says slowly, slightly breathless. "I'll start, and you just... do whatever it is you do."

Ty Lee stares at the soon-to-be Fire Lady with her eyes incredibly wide. And before she can say anything or protest or declare that they are all too drunk and irresponsible to play _dare_, Mai's lips are on hers. They are surprisingly not cold and clammy.

"We are too old for this," Zuko says, frowning. He never considered himself a jealous or possessive type, but as someone who never had friends to play inappropriate games with, seeing his wife kissing someone else makes his heart beat a little too fast. "Ty Lee, I thought you said she wasn't _enough _tongue!"

Azula laughs. And laughs. Then falls silent with a look of absolute envy. Katara is astounded that the pallid princess doesn't turn leaf green.

"You two can stop now. Stop it! Stop! Obey me!"

Katara simply shakes her head, her stomach sore from laughter as Azula tugs futilely on Mai's waist.


	22. Hormones

**#22: **Hormones  
**Prompted By: **StickyHearts

Azula learns not to be distracted when she takes a fist of flame to the face.

She blocks it and throws the man she is sparring with the ground, gritting her teeth. _Clear your head, clear your head_. Swallow. Most uncomfortable. At least boys and their public boners don't have to explain themselves to the admonishing trainer clucking his tongue in disappointment.

"You can't be distracted," he says, pushing himself off of his chair. He should not be so cocky, seeing as she has beaten him in spars three times and Azula has quickly figured out that he is only there to report back to her father.

There is nothing left to be _trained_. She is fourteen and already textbooks are so obsolete she might as well use them for target practice.

"When you go to Ba Sing Se, things could happen in an instant. Is there something troubling you, princess?" the grey-haired man says in his deep, gravelly voice. Azula scoffs.

"Even if there were something _on my mind_, I would have absolutely _no _reason to confide it in... you. You serve me; you don't ask me questions," Azula says regally, looking him up and down with a snarl on her lips. He is unfazed by her at this point; there apparently is a good deal of training for dealing with Azula, as if she is a particularly dangerous animal. "I won't be distracted again."

She spars with a newfound vigor, pounding one man so hard into a flaming tree that he is rendered to tears and gasps for breath. One comes at her from the side and she catches his arm before he can light a flame. Blocks like her father taught her.

But then that _wave_, as if she has no idea what she is doing to Azula. A grin from across the courtyard and suddenly Azula is back-flipping over fire coming not from her terrified opponents, but from her instructor.

"I need to take a break," Azula snaps before he can comment again.

Old men think they are so wise, having seen battlefields in the Earth Kingdom. They know _nothing _outside of rules, regulations and standards given to them. They see a bad order and they follow it. Azula operates by her own laws. And she is currently breaking them.

_Hormones_. Ugh. _Hormones_.

"Hi, princess," Ty Lee says, sitting down beside Azula.

Mai promised she would be a buffer after Azula explained to her that she feels a whole range of physical states while close and alone with their relatively shallow best friend. Azula would be shocked if Ty Lee notices the dilation of pupils or the slight shift of breath; the kinds of things Azula was trained to observe. That she tries to suppress in herself.

_"I knew you guys wanted to touch each other," was Mai response, her lips twitching for a second._

_"We _cannot _touch each other," Azula says, looking somewhat nervous. Mai has never seen her in this state before and it is pretty funny. "Just don't let her close to me, alright?"_

_"Okay. I'll try, but I swear, within the week she is going to be on her knees─"_

_"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," Azula says, her royal composure restored._

"So, you're taking a break from training?" Ty Lee asks, smiling faintly. Azula looks at her as if she is some kind of freakish spirit. Ty Lee squirms uncomfortably for a moment as Azula seems to be picking apart any motions of her face and... chest.

Briefly, Ty Lee imagines that Azula is looking at her cleavage. She leans down slightly, trying to think of a reason to be doing it. Boys don't ask; Azula would. The test is inconclusive for Ty Lee. Azula looks away as Ty Lee adjusts her ankle bracelet.

_Hormones. _Ugh. _Hormones_.

"Do you want to go get tea or something? Or like some kind of activity?" Ty Lee offers blithely, unsure if Azula notices that her peachy cheeks are as pink as her clothes.

"I would allow you to do some kind of activity with me," Azula says haughtily and Ty Lee purses her lips. Hmm.

Azula has never been this uncomfortable in her life. Ever since she returned from the drill to the Fire Nation to reassess her strategy, there has been this surge of tension that Azula wants to break free from. But it consumes her at night, when she should be going over plans or _sleeping _but instead she is thinking about─

"Oh, I know a fun activity!" Ty Lee interrupts Azula's pensive gaze through the gilded window. She touches Azula's arm and the princess blinks for a little too long. But perhaps Ty Lee is overreaching. "We could go to that new restaurant that _everybody _wants to go to but _nobody _could get a reservation but you could _totally _get us in. Easily. I bet they would even kick all the people out if you asked them."

"That sounds pleasant," Azula says earnestly, although she fears her purring words are too forced.

"Alright, I'll come back tonight when you're done with your royal business or whatever!" Ty Lee chirps, jumping up and trying not to do a dance of victory. Azula still sits there, looking like a statue of a royal instead of a royal whose heart is beating far too fast.

"I'll see you there," Azula says icily, although her insides are melting. These feelings are disgusting and she just wants to_ burn them alive_.

Azula stares in the mirror, internally screaming. She cannot let a few nights of wet dreams escalate into some kind of relationship. This is the first date of her entire life and also the stupidest thing she has ever done. _Love _does not exist. _Sex _is a distraction.

Whatever makes her so desperate for the tongue of her circus freak accomplice is unnerving and should be quenched before it burns out of control. But Azula dresses herself and adjusts her crown. She deems herself appropriate for a _date_.

It is hormones. It is not a crush, or a romance or any _feelings _that could have kindled since they reunited. Hormones. The kinds of things that make you see a glimpse of navel and get horny and they are obstacles to be overcome.

Azula is not very good at coping with her hormones, but she will _conquer _them, just like she _conquers _everything else. Agni, she wants to conquer Ty Lee.

Stop. No. Stop.

She hisses through her teeth and forces herself out of her bedroom. Ty Lee is engaged in conversation with a very uncomfortable looking guard in front of the palace. She looks stunning and Azula feels both jealous and desiring. Azula looks better, of course, but Ty Lee does make a statement.

"We're going to have so much fun," Ty Lee says, tugging on her shirt. Azula does not look and Ty Lee wonders if it is not a date. They never were very clear about it; Azula probably would not know a romantic proposition if it slapped her.

"I'm sure we will," Azula says coldly, but her eyes are glimmering with discomfort.

They walk to palanquins and Ty Lee sees her chance. She helps lift Azula up, although the skin on skin contact makes Azula's eyes flash like they do when she is about to electrocute someone to death.

Ty Lee bends down and... is victorious. Azula _completely _checks out her cleavage.

She grins and Azula blinks too quickly.

"Nice necklace," Azula says breathily.

Ty Lee is not wearing a necklace.

_Victory is sweet_, Ty Lee thinks to herself.


	23. Firebenders Are Hot

**#23: **Firebenders Are Hot  
**Prompted By: **Streetlight Eyes

"That... uh... brings out your eyes," Ty Lee says uncomfortably. If there has ever been an awkward sleepover, it is this one. Azula sits preternaturally still as Ty Lee opens an antique wooden box filled with pricey make-up.

Sometimes Azula looks like a statue... or like a cat about to pounce. It terrifies Ty Lee, who is constantly fidgeting. The room smells like a mixture of their perfumes, and the incense of the palace. It makes Ty Lee's head slightly fuzzy as she tries to analyze Azula's every move. But Azula probably can see directly through her.

"I kind of always do the same thing with them," Azula replies awkwardly, although she is trying to sound normal. But her purring voice is constricted and her alabaster skin sticky with cold sweat and thick make-up.

Azula stands and straightens her back to Ty Lee's relief. She walks to the sparklingly clean yet archaic mirror and examines herself closely. Ty Lee smirks towards the floor as Azula also examines her body, running her fingers over herself, much to her own pleasure. "This is actually nice as disgusting and tacky as eyeshadow is. I mean, I wouldn't walk into a battlefield in it, but maybe a date."

"You would look good and scary no matter what make-up you wore. Are you allowed to wear make-up at war?" Ty Lee asks before biting down on her lip so hard it makes her wince.

Ty Lee closes the make-up box too quickly and regrets it. Azula jumps slightly at the clicking sound and quickly tries to regain her composure. She is overly-beautified and incredibly vulnerable.

The acrobat is overly beautified as well and she sits down on the bed. She considers getting up when she realizes exactly what she has done in this bed four nights ago, but does not want to be too obvious about it. Now she feels trapped and as if she is suffocating, breaking out in a sweat that makes her peachy skin glisten.

Ty Lee did not expect to be sleeping over at Azula's house. She brought make-up and sleepover things, unsure if it was a sexual invitation or not. It is incredibly complicated. Neither of them is quite good at this sort of thing.

"You'd probably look good with your make-up running from sweat and your face splattered in blood." Pause. Azula raises an eyebrow. "I mean, if that happened. I... I'm trying to tell you you're pretty."

Ty Lee's face is as pink as her clothes. Azula looks casually amused.

"I have nice features. But I wouldn't be overshadowed by those earthbending ─ what did you call them? ─ _muscly guys_," Azula asks and Ty Lee senses a little jealousy in her tone. _Victory_.

"Well, firebender bodies are the best," Ty Lee replies, shrugging as if it is obvious. Azula suppresses a smile. "I mean, earthbenders are bulky. Waterbenders are just _no_. Firebenders are just the best looking."

"Waterbenders are just _no_?" Azula asks, smirking.

"Well, they have flexibility. But so do firebenders. But firebenders also have like muscles and stuff." Ty Lee feels her throat closing up as if she is having an allergic reaction. Azula is shaking slightly and trying to keep a blank expression.

"I'm really intrigued by this assessment of the four elements. Tell me more," Azula walks to the bed and sits down very close to Ty Lee. She turns to face Azula and their noses brush against each other.

Ty Lee screams internally.

So does Azula.

Neither of them show it.

"Firebenders are just hot," and then Ty Lee realizes her terrible pun. _No, no, no_. "It must be something in the training."

"Firebenders are hot?" Azula asks, smirking now. _Almost _smiling. "All of them?"

"No, only good ones." Punching herself in the face. Punching herself in the face. She is blushing so hard she feels her face might combust. "I mean, not, like you I mean. I mean ─ _no_!─ I mean you're the best firebender and you're really, um, attractive, but I'm generalizing and, just forget I said that."

She might actually punch herself in the face. But Azula is shaking with silent giggles.

"And you thought you had to teach _me _how to flirt."

Azula presses her lips against Ty Lee's.


	24. Remember the Names

**#24: **Remember the Names, or a Family Dinner  
**Prompted By: **GuitarBOSS

"Azula," Zuko says forcefully and Azula jumps and stumbles. He catches her by the arm as she waves her other arm for balance. "Clearly up to no good. Don't lie; what are you doing digging through the royal archives?"

"Finding your deepest weakness so I can usurp you," Azula replies, rolling her eyes as she straightens. Zuko grits his teeth. "I'm looking through census data, alright? There's a lot of it."

"Why do you need to look through census data?" Zuko asks with a sigh. He releases her and looks at the stack of crisp papers she has on the sole table in this gigantic room.

The royal archives are expansive, dusty, grim and boring. He has been in here exactly once to read about Sozin. The papers that go _into _here pass through his hands, but he has never had a reason to follow them. Azula winnowing through the papers makes his gut churn. He has given her a chance, which she does not lie down and take.

Therapy, Zuko said. To which Azula replied by utterly destroying three therapists with little more than words. In fact, the example of him trying to get her therapy applies to exactly everything he has done for her since she became his ward. He asks her for something, she follows it, but does it in a way that causes more damage than if he didn't ask in the first place.

But so far she has not tried to kill him yet. That is a plus. And the sleepwalking has stopped which was utterly terrifying.

"You know what you need, Zuko," Azula says, typical diversion tactics, "a girlfriend. I'm sorry but I'm not interested in you."

"This is going to be easier for everyone if you just tell me why you're digging through private records," Zuko sighs, crossing his arms. She narrows her eyes and he can see her weighing her odds. "Please tell me you aren't trying to discredit me somehow. Are you looking up our father's bastard children or something?"

"No. That would not help me discredit you at all." Azula pauses. She shrugs her shoulders and sighs haughtily. "I'm having some kind of family dinner with Ty Lee tonight because of our engagement or whatever and I'm trying to look up her siblings' names."

Zuko tries to hold it together but simply can't. He laughs hysterically, choking on dust as he gasps for breath. She rolls up the paper and hits him in the shoulder with it.

"That is the most..." Zuko coughs three times. Azula frowns bitterly, giving him Ozai's glare. "That is the most pathetic thing... I was so worried that you were doing something so devious and..." He bursts out coughing again. "Just ask her."

"I'm not going to ask her. I've known her for almost twenty years, I'm too far in to ask now," Azula says, looking genuinely exasperated. "She is completely going to break up with me for this. I've addressed them all as _you _for a long time but I don't think I can get away with it for an entire traditional family dinner."

"How long have you not known any of their names?"

"I never learned them." Azula shrugs as if this is normal. "Zuko, I have an idea. Execute all of them tonight so we don't have to worry. I'll forge evidence of their treason or something. I'm desperate."

"I am not going to execute her family." Zuko is trying not to cry from mirth. Azula is not amused.

"It would be an extremely convincing forgery, brother, I promise." Azula bats her eyes at him and Zuko struggles to keep a straight face at the absurdity. "I've already made seven excuses for why I can't have dinner with them. She's not a genius but she's getting suspicious."

Zuko pauses and sighs. "I'll ask someone who will know for you. I mean, someone has to. You don't have to... forge treason for this."

Slowly shaking his head, Zuko gestures towards the door and both siblings exit the archives.


	25. Virginity

**#25: **Virginity  
**Prompted By: **Guest

Their lips break apart and the discomfort washes through their bodies like pleasure did before. Ty Lee pulls away from Azula, her fingers sticking slightly to the princess's skin to her absolute terror. Azula wills her toes to pry apart as Ty Lee sits up on the bed and tries not to stare too hard or for too long at Azula's flawless body.

"Are you... alright?" Azula asks slowly, fumbling with her words like she and Ty Lee just fumbled with each other's bodies. Ty Lee has never heard this tone of voice for her. Oh Agni she hopes Azula will go back to normal. If she broke Princess Azula... "I'm just asking because you seem distressed."

They are in Azula's room, which is in a state of disarray it has never been in before. Abandoned on the floor are a variety of trinkets Ty Lee bought and explained to Azula as she pretended to listen. Beside the buyer's remorse is make-up that Azula halfheartedly put on Ty Lee, which is now streaked down her face and flaking off. Azula's blankets, sheets and half of the pillows are scattered about instead of neatly on her bed as she has always insisted, to the ending of several careers.

The two best friends are even more disheveled, lacking their clothes, or, at least, most of them; certain articles were missed, like Ty Lee's jacket and Azula's silk stockings and are still clinging onto their sweaty skin. Behind Azula is her bra, in which her red casual crown is resting in the left cup of.

"I'm alright. I think," Ty Lee says softly, looking dazed.

"That was... interesting. Good... interesting..." Azula says, her face twisting strangely. Ty Lee has never been good at reading Azula. Nobody is, but Ty Lee thinks this is positive. "Very... forceful."

She hopes it is positive.

"Yes. Definitely forceful. Good... forceful," Ty Lee dares to whisper. She is not sure if she should smile or kiss Azula or what. So she just stays very still.

"I have to be honest, this is my first time doing this," Azula says, examining her broken nail. The last time she snapped a nail in half she was using her hands to scale a wall in one of her father's insane training exercises. "I don't know if we did it right. Did we do it right, Ty Lee?"

"I don't know, princess," Ty Lee squeaks, shrugging. She feels suddenly very aware of her nudity. "You know, I'm going to open a window."

"Yes. Do that," Azula says slowly, swallowing far too much saliva.

Ty Lee gets up and opens the window. The air is surprisingly crisp and fresh for late spring. Usually it is already sweltering in this area of the Fire Nation. She leans towards the window, and the starlight makes patterns on her skin. Her hair, completely down and incredibly long, glistens.

Azula lies down on her back and stares at the ceiling.

She does everything right. Right? Right?

"I think we did it right," Ty Lee says, walking back to the bed hesitantly. "I think so."

"How would we know if we didn't?" Azula asks, sounding genuinely distressed.

"Was that bad for you? Did I hurt you? Oh, Azula, no..." Ty Lee suddenly looks like she is going to cry. The melodrama with this girl is painful.

"If it was bad I would have pushed you off of me. Or myself off of you... depending on what point we're talking about," Azula says airily before swallowing. Her heart is beating far too fast. She forgets to breathe for a moment and then takes a shuddering breath.

"Maybe we should ask Mai if we did it right," Ty Lee offers and Azula rolls her eyes.

"That is not happening. We will never hear the end of it."

Silence.

"Maybe we should do it again some time," Ty Lee says feebly, hoping it is not offensive.

"That would not be bad," Azula replies, clearing her throat uncomfortably.

"Definitely not bad." Ty Lee smiles with too much of her teeth.

Silence.

"This is really awkward. We should probably put on our pajamas or something and pretend we're having a sleepover like normal fourteen year old girls," Ty Lee says, squinting out of the window into the crisp, dark night.

"And not losing our virginity." Azula sighs, as if she regrets it, and Ty Lee's fingers tense. She hopes Azula does not regret it. "Yes. Not losing our virginity. Practicing make-up. Or... I don't actually know what girls do at normal sleepovers."

"They don't usually lose their virginity. Together," Ty Lee chirps, offering a weak smile. Azula simply looks at her with a slight pout on her rosy lips.

"I don't think so," Azula replies hesitantly. She slowly sits up. "We're not going to talk about this, are we?"

"No."

"I think we did it right."

"Me too."


	26. We could rule the Universe together

**#26:** "We could rule the Universe together."  
**Prompted By:** xxlunareclipseoftheheartxx

It is a bright, crisp morning, and Ty Lee is finally settling in to her new job. It is respectable, and only going to last for a few months while she stays in the Fire Nation on mental health leave from the Kyoshi Warriors. Nobody dares to ask exactly what got her into that predicament and Suki's lips are shut.

It has something to do with an ex-girlfriend and a dual mental breakdown that one small island couldn't handle. The sheer force of their breakup was like a tornado spewing out lava and earthquakes.

Ty Lee is working at an upscale boutique, which is _totally _perfect and her parents _totally _disapprove, even more than they did about the Kyoshi Warriors. And she is _totally _good at it.

"You're the best assistant I could ask for," her boss, Emi, says, a thin woman, wife of a retired general. One that Fire Lord Zuko paid off well instead of sending to prison. "You both make people feel bad about themselves, but good enough that they buy things. And thank you for coming in early."

And so begins the perfect day at work. She does not even regret her leave of absence from the Kyoshi Warriors because her apartment near the center of the Caldera is so beautiful and has a _shower_. She missed showers. Maybe she can blame her crazy outburst on that. No showers but tons of mud.

By lunch time she has made three sales and is feeling great about herself. This is going to go so much better than her past four jobs in the Fire Nation.

And then it happens. The absolutely inevitable.

Today. Today of all days.

"How startling to see you here," purrs a voice from the door. "I would have never guessed."

"I would appreciate less _spying on me_, Azula." Ty Lee genuinely feels paranoid of any of the soldiers in the city.

Or in fact, anyone in the city who looks out of place or too interested in her. She one time chi blocked a guy asking her out because she figured he was a spy before she realized he was just some horny guy.

"Spying on you? Absurd," Azula says sweetly, making eye contact with Ty Lee's boss. Emi blinks several times too fast and promptly drops the dress she was tailoring. "I'm just visiting you."

"Princess. Do you need a dress?" Emi asks, walking up far too close for Azula's liking. The look in the princess's golden eyes makes her take several steps back.

"I need two dresses, actually," Azula says and Ty Lee slumps against the wall. Again. _Not again_. "One for her and one for me."

Emi glances between them, only capable of blinking. The soldiers surrounding Azula look uncomfortable, as they always do around Ty Lee. They are a royal guard more meant to keep Azula from hurting others, not people from hurting her.

"Azula, no..." Ty Lee says but Emi is already in the back finding the nicest clothes. _Oh_ she pulls out Ty Lee's absolute favorite that Emi won't let her buy because she is waiting for the perfect customer.

"Azula, yes," Azula replies sharply, examining the dresses. She tosses one haphazardly at Ty Lee and she catches it the way she would block a punch.

"We're taking a break."

"This our fourth break, I believe. I've decided to end it. You've decided to like it," Azula comments, sizing up her dress as Emi looks for others and can only gesture at them wordlessly.

"You two know each other?" Emi finally asks, trying to make small talk as her shaking hands thumb through dresses. She never imagined her assistant was friends with the crazy princess.

"Yes, Emi, meet my off again on again girlfriend who thinks she can do whatever she wants because of the man who pumped her into her mother," Ty Lee explains exasperatedly, trying to hide her smile at her dress.

"Well, I _can _do whatever I want because of the man who... I don't think I can say that without vomiting," Azula says, picking out a dress and sizing it up. She deems it suitable. "Which includes _you_."

"Ugh."

"You're going to enjoy yourself. You always do and then you sob in my arms about how much you love me and then we're together for a few months, then you need to _find yourself_ and it's like the Avatar cycle of lesbian fucking," Azula purrs calmly as Emi looks disastrously uncomfortable, and as red as many of her dresses.

"The Avatar cycle of lesbian fucking? You're so romantic," Ty Lee sighs sarcastically. "I might be persuaded to go on whatever date you have planned for me."

"You already are." Azula hesitates as Emi gestures for her to just take the clothes. "You know, if you would just make your mind up we could rule the Universe together."

Ty Lee smiles faintly and tries to hide it. Azula seizes her by the wrist and takes her out of the boutique. She would like ruling the Universe with Azula.

"I'm just glad you didn't set anything on fire this time," Ty Lee sighs as Azula helps her into a palanquin. "Or set any animals loose."

Azula smirks.


	27. Skinny Love

**#27:** Skinny Love  
**Prompted By:** American Zombie

Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.

Azula never really had a childhood; Ty Lee's never ended. They take their daughter to the school where they once studied. Azula tries to avoid the stares at her for being the princess who got locked up in an asylum. The princess who lost the war and probably ruined most political careers of these kid's grandparents.

"Why don't you take her in? I'm just going to stand here," Azula says, pursing her lips. The room includes people she _knows_.

_"You can't hide in the palace forever," Ty Lee sighs in her Kyoshi Warrior days, not honest woman days._

_"I accept that challenge," Azula replies haughtily._

_And in the morning Ty Lee will be with her._

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asks, holding the hand of their seven year old daughter.

She looks exactly like Azula; it's uncanny. Well, Azula at that age, so adorable and not sexy. Big gold eyes that get her whatever she wants, except from Azula, who sees right through it.

_"Oh, please, I'm Princess Azula, I invented that ruse."_

_Azusami frowns bitterly, stomping her foot._

The school smells exactly how it used to; incense and dread. Ty Lee seems absolutely gleeful at the prospect of subjecting her daughter to education. But Azula looks around and sees crying parents and those with jaws jutting out as if to secure authority. It blends together to her as she wonders where she would be without this place.

Not that she ever liked it. But it was an escape in her pathetic excuse for her childhood.

The walls still have that disgusting red paint. She assumes the bathrooms are still a sickening pastel pink with golden knobs. And now the cycle continues; it feels strange to Azula. There was a long point in her life where she thought she was going to die surrounded by doctors and white walls.

And now she is a _person_.

When their daughter is left at the Academy for Girls, Ty Lee grabs Azula's hand and dodges out of a meeting for parents.

She has to cut the ropes and let her daughter fall. It makes Azula's stomach twist.

"Maybe she'll meet a little Mai and a little you," Azula says with a small smirk.

"I think Azusami has my social skills, not yours," Ty Lee remarks, cocking an eyebrow. Although her daughter is not related to her by blood, she did most of the child raising.

"Well, now I'm concerned about her getting knocked up," Azula sighs and Ty Lee snickers, rolling her eyes.

"Boys are going to be extremely afraid of her. Girls too, probably."

"Probably," Azula sighs as they wander into the pavilion in front of the school. "I hear school isn't just meant to indoctrinate children anymore. Something Zuko did right, finally."

When they are at home, Azula looks bored by political papers. Ty Lee comes up beside her, kissing her neck. Azula shivers from it and then returns to focusing. Futile, Ty Lee decides.

"Are you _worried _about her?" Ty Lee asks, giggling and sitting down on an old antique chair.

"No, of course not. My daughter is incredibly capable," Azula says, bristling. Ty Lee smirks to herself.

"You are." Ty Lee giggles again. "She will be fine. I think she's going to have a happy childhood."

"I didn't even have one."

"Then give one to her."

Azula purses her lips. She agrees but does not want to seem weak.

Ty Lee kisses her again and they fall into each other on top of an expensive wooden desk.


	28. Runaways

**#28: **Runaways_  
_**Prompted By:** mint &amp; GuitarBOSS

* * *

"Promise you'll run away with me, okay?" Ty Lee whispers in the dead of the night. Azula looks unimpressed by the fanciful notion. They are fourteen and having a childish sleepover as Mai is having a far less childish sleepover with Zuko.

"I once skipped school and half the army came looking for me," Azula says, squinting at the ceiling. Ty Lee is still smiling, regardless.

"Well then let's run away together and start another war." Silence. Azula smirks faintly in the darkness.

"I'll consider it," Azula says softly.

"I asked you to run away to the circus with me," Ty Lee says, smiling. Azula raises an eyebrow.

"Can you honestly see me in the circus? I mean, what would my killer act be?" Azula asks, sounding happy for the first time in a while. "I mean, maybe a lightshow? Lightning Girl."

"Maybe," Ty Lee squeaks and Azula rolls her eyes.

"Clearly not. Go on and tell me," Azula demands and Ty Lee squirms. Azula touches her hand and she stops fidgeting uncomfortably. "I won't be offended."

"Can you juggle?"

"I never tried."

"Maybe I'll teach you when we run away."

"Yes, we can make our living by doing a terrible act on the side of the roads. I can juggle flaming knives and you can contort yourself into weird positions and we'll be oh so rich," Azula says in a grandiose tone that only royalty can pull off. Ty Lee giggles.

"That actually sounds pretty fun," Ty Lee says softly, eyes as wide as saucers and glittering in the moonlight.

"It does," Azula says softly, now vaguely seductive. Yet mocking. Ty Lee is confused by her. "Alright, if the Avatar pulls off this invasion, we'll run away together and have a two person circus act."

"I'd like that. Uh, I mean, not the Avatar winning part, the circus part."

Azula smirks and closes her eyes.


	29. Who am I to disagree?

**#29:** Who Am I to Disagree?  
**Prompted By:** GuitarBOSS

Ty Lee sleeps fitfully for the first night in prison. Mai sits in the corner and counts down the days until they are presumably executed. The Boiling Rock is not _terrible_. But they were not meant to be _traitors_. Mai was a good kid who did as she was told, got good grades and conquered Ba Sing Se. She should not be a traitor.

But Ty Lee seems even more shaken by it. Mai was as surprised as Azula was when Ty Lee chose her. But she does not mention it for fear of setting Ty Lee off.

Mai watches her sleep, feeling like a creep. Ty Lee turns over on the stiff and uncomfortable bed and murmurs, "Azula. Azula don't."

Crawling across the filthy floor and staining her red rags, Mai sits closer to her, wondering if she should wake her up. _Azula don't kill me_, likely dream Ty Lee is screaming. It must have been exactly what she was feeling when she blocked Azula's chi.

"Azula don't leave me," Ty Lee murmurs in her slumber and Mai knits her eyebrows together.

Well, two romances were shattered last week. Mai sits back down with her heart beating a little too quickly.

Many miles away from the filthy prison cell and steaming water of the Boiling Rock, Azula lies in bed, her knees touching her chest.

No one can hear her when she talks in her sleep. Lonely. Always lonely.

But she murmurs in the darkness of her gilded bedroom, "Ty Lee. Ty Lee don't leave me."

Many years after Sozin's Comet, Azula talks in her sleep far more than Ty Lee does. She twists and kicks blankets and murmurs about her mother or her father. Ty Lee will sometimes watch her, waiting to see if she should wake her up or if she genuinely needs to sleep.

But tonight in her sleep, she is peaceful. Ty Lee smiles faintly as she hesitantly brushes Azula's raven hair out of her face.

And she breathes Ty Lee's name, as if is pleasant. Not the tortured, _"Father, no, please..." _or the worse screams about her mother. Beautiful words on beautiful and peaceful rosy lips.

Ty Lee smiles faintly to herself.

Azula wakes up without screaming. She rubs her eyes and glances around. The sun has not risen yet and Ty Lee is sleeping beside her. Azula had no nightmares last night. She did not wake up clawing at herself or gasping for breath. Her heart is not racing. She does not feel the suffocation of a panic attack.

She slept like she was happy.

"You're awake," Ty Lee whispers, sitting up slowly.

"Yeah." Azula lies back down, her head on one of the multitude of black, red and golden pillows.

"Did you have nightmares?" Ty Lee shifts through the bed and rests her head on Azula's shoulders.

"No," Azula murmurs earnestly.

"You slept like you were happy," Ty Lee murmurs, neglecting to mention her name on Azula's lips.

"I guess I did."


	30. Incense and Peppermint

**#30:** Incense and Peppermint  
**Prompted By:** GuitarBOSS &amp; BabydollEyelashes

"I don't buy any of this Earth Kingdom nonsense," Azula sighs as Ty Lee drags her towards a shop that the incense wafts out of halfway down the street.

"They have it in the Fire Nation too," Ty Lee replies and Azula does not respond. Auras and vibrations and future telling is completely absurd. She cannot believe Ty Lee believes in it, and she cannot believe that this is her tenth date.

_"Tenth dates are extremely important," Ty Lee says, although Azula cannot take her seriously in her make-up._

_"You realize that these are just shams by my brother to try to keep me from going on some kind of insane rampage?" Azula sighs, crossing her arms._

_Ty Lee raises an eyebrow with a seductive glint in her eyes. "Don't act like you don't like them."_

_Azula has no answer to that._

They are on the Southern Tip of the Earth Kingdom in any incredibly sketchy seaside town. The port was rampant with pirates and merchants, and the Fire Nation insignias were sloppily painted over. Azula hates the Earth Kingdom with a burning passion; Fire Nation dates are far better.

_Then again_, no one whispers about her when she walks down the street in the Earth Kingdom. As if these dirty peasants would recognize Azula.

"Alright, so help me you are going to see auras by the end of this," Ty Lee says as they walk into the cramped shop. The smell is nearly enough to make Azula faint, but Ty Lee clutches to her arm.

The decor is as disgusting as the cheap incense. Azula sighs as the old woman dressed in a variety of vibrant cloths gestures for them to sit down.

"How much does this cost?" Azula whispers to Ty Lee and her friend shrugs.

Azula has no idea of the concept of money. She drops some coins on the table and hopes that they aren't too little and insulting. The woman looks startled and Azula realizes she has definitely overpaid. It isn't as if money matters. Maybe it will make the women tell Ty Lee to shut up. Hmm... perhaps. Azula drops another gold coin on the table.

"She wants me to believe in or see auras and vibrations or something."

"I totally want my future read too!" Ty Lee calls, shutting the door of the shop. The woman pockets the money and Azula is already fairly certain that she is a charlatan.

Azula clasps her hands on the table, waiting for this to be over. Today has been pleasant, but it just became incredibly painful.

It takes a certain amount of time, as Ty Lee keeps whispering in her ear if she sees anything yet. Azula drinks the strange drink she is handed and vows to herself to punch her brother in the face when she gets home. This is already turning into the worst date ever.

Azula feels incredibly dizzy and grabs at Ty Lee's shirt to keep upright.

Hazy colors around people. The woman indigo; Ty Lee pink. Herself vaguely...

"You hit your head pretty bad," is what Azula wakes up to, as well as a searing pain in the back of her head.

"I think I just was poisoned," Azula sighs as they lie on the front step of the woman's shop. "Can we get our money back?"

"It's going to be okay. She read my future and said that a great romance was in it. One that could shatter nations," Ty Lee says, helping Azula to her feet. Surprisingly, no one was staring at the unconscious girl and her accomplice.

"Let's hope that means I'm Fire Lord," Azula mutters to herself and Ty Lee pretends not to hear her. "I think I saw auras. Vague colors. Feel better? It just took a strong dose of passing out from drugs... I'm going to tell my brother that you drugged me, you know? I'm pretty sure that'll get you strung up or something... _drugging _a princess..."

Ty Lee kisses her and ignores her complaints.


	31. Bad Metaphors

_(Theme Thirty-One) _**Bad Metaphors (Freedom &amp; "Sky Full of Stars" - Coldplay)**

_(As prompted by_) **LoveandLust and FanfictionVillainess**

Freedom is an illusion. Just when Azula takes one step forward she takes two steps back and it feels like barbed wire wrapped around her, tearing into her skin. It leaves her in tatters and she would never tell anyone because she is excellent at pretending.

She isn't _fragile_. Zuko treats her like she is a thin glass ball ready to be dropped and broken. But she is more of a stone wall that has been replaced and put back together several times, some of the stones crumbling despite the feeble repairs.

"I'm not fragile," Azula snaps, tossing her toothbrush into the sink and leaving it there. The sound of wood against porcelain is not as satisfying as she thought it would be. "Stop treating me like I'm fragile."

Ty Lee's eyes widen and her lips shrink. She touches Azula's arm and the princess does not move. Ty Lee is in a state of half dressed disarray, and partially braided hair. Azula looks flawless even though she spent the entire day in bed complaining about a migraine but really trapped in her flashbacks.

Everybody knows she is lying. But nobody wants to poke the sleeping dragon.

"I don't think you're fragile. I think you're the strongest person I've ever met," Ty Lee says as Azula walks back to the bed she spent her day in. She feels tired. "You're like a diamond."

"Like a diamond?" Azula snorts derisively. "A diamond, really?"

"They're the hardest kind of stone," Ty Lee breathes, sitting down at the vanity with her legs partially spread. They are directly across from each other but Azula barely makes eye contact with the girl she married. The girl who was crazy enough to marry someone insane. Who's crazier in that aspect? Because both of them sacrificed freedom for madness.

"And the sharpest," Azula says, attempting to avoid the situation.

"And they always survive," Ty Lee continues. "Like you do."

"I'm pretty hard to kill," Azula says with a small shrug. It isn't what Ty Lee meant, but she doesn't correct Azula. She never has.

"You're a diamond and I'm going to love you until the end of time," Ty Lee says and Azula is rather stunned by how poetic the shallowest person she has ever met can be. Ty Lee is not one for metaphor, even ones including shiny gemstones.

"Wait what?"

"I've been calling you a star for a really long time so I'm changing it up."

"But stars are... on fire. Diamonds are just..."

"Fine, you try to come up with loving metaphors," Ty Lee grumbles, crossing her arms. "I considered _sky full of stars_."

"Ugh, that's just even more cliché. Alright, you can call me a diamond," Azula says with a haughty sigh, as if it is an inconvenience to be compared to beautiful feats of nature.

"Gemstones and stars and skies aside, I really want to be with you. I could leave at any moment. Nobody's keeping me here anymore," Ty Lee says, regretting the last sentence, although Azula does not react.

"You would leave me if you had the chance," Azula says, lying down. Ty Lee looks at her, squinting, wondering how she can miss the point when she is a genius. "You're just stuck with me because neither of us is ever going to have any freedom. I didn't have any as a youth and I don't have it now. I was locked up and..."

"I've had plenty of chances to leave you. And I decided not to," Ty Lee says, walking to the bed and sitting beside her. She runs her fingers along Azula's navel. "You may have noticed that I decided to marry you, asylum and all."

"You're crazy."

"I think I've never been freer than when I'm with you."

"You're also extremely cliché in your romantic one liners. I'm amazed that I tolerate them. I mean do you actually think terrible metaphors are romantic?"

Ty Lee just smiles.


	32. Loose Lips

A/N: I was originally going to go with Ty Lee letting her crush on Azula slip and "romance ensues" but I actually thought that established Tyzula might fit well here and I've done a lot of Ty Lee crush. So, the prompt was "Ty Lee tells a secret about Azula to Mai, Mai tells Azula and afterwards, to Ty Lee's pleasant surprise, Tyzula ensues." I tried to stick to that.

* * *

_(Theme Thirty-Two) _**Loose Lips**

_(as prompted by) _**HeavenBesideYou13**

Ty Lee never could keep secrets.

"I feel kind of wanted when I'm in the Fire Nation. I mean, people _want _me everywhere, all the time. But you people need me," Ty Lee says to Mai, doing her dishes for her as they were stacked to disgusting proportions. Mai needs a maid who comes more than two times a week.

"I need you to clean my house? It's actually kind of insulting that you clean everything when you come over," Mai sighs, thumbing through a magazine casually. Ty Lee rolls her eyes and forces a smile. "Alright, so say I need you for friendship or something; what do other people need?"

"Well, Azula needs me to keep her from going crazy."

"_Little _late on that one, Ty."

"Again. She also needs me because everybody needs love. And also no one else is ever going to marry her if I don't."

Mai makes a guffawing sound. Ty Lee cringes at her words.

"Not that she's undesirable. But, other people just find her intimidating," Ty Lee says, scratching her forehead. Not going well at all. "I mean, lots of people masturbate thinking about her but no one is actually going to hit on her, you know?"

Mai can't contain herself this time. She looks about to cry. Ty Lee has never seen her laugh so hard, which, incidentally, isn't very hard.

"And Zuko needs me to be with Azula for a variety of reasons. I think he just sees me as a chi blocking tool or something," Ty Lee continues with a sigh.

"Zuko, Zuko... it's pathetic. You are the best kind of babysitter for Azula, though, because you're sleeping with her. Also, you're not that suspicious. Most people think you're too dumb to actually, well, be threatening," Mai says, cocking an eyebrow. "Have you had to chi block her since you two started dating?"

Ty Lee takes a deep breath. Her neck tenses as she wrestles with her tongue. Mai leans forward expectantly with bated breath. She clearly is holding a secret that will not be contained for long. Ty Lee makes a grimacing expression like she is about to bludgeon her own mother but then suddenly exhales.

"Well, she has a sleepwalking problem," Ty Lee says shrilly and Mai shrugs. "And when you try to wake her, she's combative."

"My cousin is a combative sleepwalker too. Whenever we went over to their house my mom would tell me not to wake her if she was sleepwalking and to stay very still. She ate in her sleep too," Mai says calmly, very intrigued.

"I think you underestimate Azula's combative sleepwalking. She firebends in her sleep. Zuko discovered it in a very painful way. He warned me about it the first time I slept over, actually," Ty Lee says, knitting her eyebrows together. Mai is less concerned. "If she just stopped having such bad nightmares she would probably stop..."

"So you had to chi block her while she was sleepwalking?" Mai asks and Ty Lee purses her lips. _Yes_. "That's hilarious."

"Don't tell her I told you, Mai. She'd probably be really embarrassed," Ty Lee says, shelving the final dish. "I'm serious. I shouldn't have told _you_."

But Ty Lee's warning is unheeded. Mai and Azula are by the pier, Mai throwing rocks in the water for no reason. Azula watches her, chewing on her lower lip and not saying anything. Their outings tend to be unusual like this, and more than once have ended in arson.

The pier smells of ocean and oil, and the splashing of the rocks that Mai hurls has a vague rhythm to it. Azula is quite transfixed by it, paying more attention to that than their casual conversation. They are surrounded by royal guard, who are meant to protect those around Azula, not Azula herself. The guards look undeniably uncomfortable, almost as much as she does when she is with her girlfriend, and, believe her, long distance makes for quite passionate reunions.

"Why are you throwing rocks into the water?" Azula finally asks as Mai finishes her boring story. Mai simply throws another, walking closer to the edge of the pier.

"Because there's a sign over there that says it's not allowed, but when I'm with you I don't have to follow the signs," Mai explains and Azula slowly shakes her head. "So, Ty Lee told me you have a sleepwalking problem."

Azula's expression steels.

"She did?" Her eyes are burning with a ferocity that makes Mai recoil slightly and drop the rock she was about to throw. "That's very personal. What else does she tell you about us?"

"Ugh. Just calm down. It's not like she told a tabloid. Although, if people knew it would be a really good legal defense if you were to kill everyone who stood in your way of being Fire Lord."

Mai throws another rock in the water.

Azula grits her teeth.

"I mean, they basically _have _to make you Fire Lord if you usurped the throne in your sleep."

Mai throws another rock. Azula holds up two hands to push Mai into the pier and decides against it.

Ty Lee never could keep secrets. That night, Azula slinks back to the palace and finds Ty Lee in the midst of a conversation with Zuko. He is smiling faintly and Azula feels a knot of metallic jealous in her gut. The mild flirtation involved in Ty Lee and Zuko's conversations make Azula want to do things that would get her sent to prison without a second thought.

Azula slips into the scene, interrupting Ty Lee mid-sentence with a kiss. Zuko rolls his eyes but Azula does not see. She lures Ty Lee away halfway through their conversation and neither protests, because neither wants to provoke Azula.

"Why did you tell Mai that I sleepwalk?" Azula asks in a faux sweet tone and Ty Lee bites down on her lip. _Ugh_, of course Mai would tell. _Of course_. Ty Lee does not trust Mai or Azula as far as she can throw them.

"It just kind of, uh, slipped out," Ty Lee squeaks and Azula narrows her eyes. They slip into an abandoned living room in this empty palace and Azula waits for more. Ty Lee supposes she expects an apology. "I'm sorry. I am _really _bad at keeping secrets. If it makes you feel better, I told _all _of Mai's secrets to you when we were kids."

Azula suppresses a smirk. "Why don't you make it up to me?"

Ty Lee pauses for a moment, and presses her lips against Azula's, fumbling with her clothes.

Frantic, hurried tumble of desperation and sexual longing.

"Maybe," gasps Ty Lee as they are digging into each other like teenagers instead of moderately responsibly adults, "I should tell Mai your secrets more often."

"Don't push your luck." Kiss.


	33. Snowman Building Contest (AU)

A/N: This prompt said Tyzula and any pairing, so I decided to change things up and make the other pairing Zutara; that makes this one AU. I have Maiko as canon in this.

* * *

_(Theme Thirty-Three) _**Snowman Contest**

_(As prompted by_) **Streetlight Eyes**

"I can't believe we're in the South Pole," Azula bemoans, breathing fire into her fingertips. One of her gloves starts smoking and Ty Lee stifles it with a single fingertip.

"They're basically our family, Azula," Ty Lee says sharply and Azula frowns, looking unimpressed. "She's going to be our sister-in-law."

Azula clears her throat haughtily and remarks, "I think it was survival of the fittest that this place was nearly wiped out. The only reason they're put back together is my brother's hard-on for─"

"Hello, Katara," Ty Lee says blithely as their host walks up to them. The acrobat shoots a warning glance at her fiancée.

"Hi, Ty Lee," Katara says with a smile, before her eyes gloss over Azula entirely and fall on the wall built of snow beside her. Azula takes a deep breath and prevents herself from starting a rematch. And she quickly departs from the couple to find Zuko, who is locked in uproarious laughter with Sokka.

"I think we were just snubbed," Azula murmurs but Ty Lee ignores her, seizes her hand and takes her to the other side of the room, of course, to lock her in conversation with _Suki_, who looks upon Azula as kindly as Azula looked at her Water Tribe dinner.

After the ridiculous party that Azula struggles to coast through, she finds herself walking back towards Katara's house with Ty Lee. They clutch onto each other as Azula rolls her eyes and wishes she were in the Fire Nation.

"This may piss you off," Ty Lee murmurs and Azula cocks an eyebrow in response, "but I want to stop here for a minute."

"Seriously? You know, your water peasant fetish is really not sexy. If I was into that, I would fuck my brother," Azula says and Ty Lee tugs on her arm with a goofy grin that Azula finds to be the most desirable looking thing in the Southern Water Tribe.

With a sigh, the princess follows Ty Lee to the center square of the walled in miniature city. The lamps are different, the smell is distinctly different and the weather is _very _different from the Fire Nation. Azula loves her nation and they love her, madness and all. The Water Tribe and Zuko's friends are less forgiving.

"I want to build a snowman," Ty Lee says, sitting down. "We made them on Kyoshi Island."

"I have no idea how to build a _snowman_," Azula says, crossing her arms. She feels snow make its way into her tri-fingered glove and shudders. Cold and wet are two things Azula loathes being; if Mai were here she would be incredibly displeased.

"You're going to build a snowman with me, Azula," Ty Lee says, her eyes aflame like dark embers. Azula shakes her head regally, tilting her chin upwards towards the moon.

"Hey, Zuko, let's build a snowman," Katara's voice exclaims, tugging on her newlywed husband.

"Let's build a snowman, Ty Lee," Azula says, her competitive nature flicking on with a flash of her gilded eyes. She kneels beside Ty Lee, trying to ignore the wet snow freezing her knees.

"Is this a competition?" Zuko asks as Katara summons the snow into a large boulder with her bending.

"Yes," Azula snaps at her brother and he touches the snowball Katara has made awkwardly. "Waterbending is cheating, Peasant Princess."

"That's _Fire Lady _to you," Katara says and the snowball Azula is holding turns first to water, then to ice. She looks at it, deems it sharp enough to stab Katara to death, but then decides against it. "And bending is fair game."

"If you say so," Azula shrugs and Zuko breathes in through his teeth. If there are four words you never want to hear Azula say, it is those.

Azula and Katara have developed a level of competition that makes both Ty Lee and Zuko uncomfortable. Usually it manifests itself in harmless ways, and they constantly one each other up. The score almost _always _flattens because they are freakishly equally matched, which makes both unchallenged young women even more vehemently competitive. And Ty Lee and Zuko tend to get roped in more often than they would like.

Ty Lee is forming the body of the snowman as Katara is bending a perfectly round bottom. She delegates Zuko to busy work with a command that Azula finds hilarious. She definitely is the dominator in their relationship and it amuses Azula to no end. If Azula did have a perfect opposite, it would be Katara. After all, she is the only person capable of defeating Azula in combat. And the only person equally capable of flustering Zuko.

Azula shoves Ty Lee aside and drops the blade of ice she accidentally made. While Katara starts forming the second circle, the night is stained with a blue glow from Azula's flame.

"That isn't a snowman," Katara snaps with a small, self important laugh as Zuko smoothes a corner of their snowman's body.

"It's an ice sculpture," Azula purrs, guiding the water up as she finally figures out the timing between melting and freezing. It is a small margin for error and Zuko and Katara are making far more progress than her. But so help her, she will _win_. "Ty Lee..."

The couples are almost equally matched. Ty Lee feels at home amongst the snow and she and Azula have worked together long enough to be able to nonverbally communicate orders. But Katara is an expert at waterbending and Zuko has drive to push through mistakes, which Azula struggles with.

Azula's ice sculpture is coming to a close as she starts to work out the details, forming a blade and chiseling out pieces. Ty Lee helps her, dripping with sweat that turns cold on her skin as soon as her body produces it.

"We're done," Katara says smugly, crossing her arms.

"That _is _impressive," Ty Lee whispers, cringing and examining the chunks of ice stuck to her blue gloves.

Zuko breathes a sigh of relief. His chest is tight from a snowman building contest, more so than it is during assassination attempts or his morning training. Azula's eyes are fixated on the ice so smooth and crystalline that it reflects her form in it as the moonlight falls on her just right.

"We're done," Azula says finally, stepping back and crossing her arms.

Katara examines the ice sculpture and her lips part in surprise. It is a girl with her arms raised above her face, cowering from an unseen attack. At first Katara thinks the melt is unintentional, before she realized it is frozen to portray melting skin.

"That's horrifying," Zuko remarks, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it is definitely the most disturbing snowman I've ever seen," Ty Lee remarks, squinting at it and catching her breath.

"You didn't say it had to be cheery." Azula shrugs with a small smirk.

Katara waves one hand and she and Zuko's snowman crumbles.

"Tomorrow. You. Me. Rematch. One on one." And she is gone, looking huffier than the day she tried to attack Azula with a glass of liquor and it lit her skirt on fire.

Azula breathes a sigh of bliss and presses her lips against Ty Lee's victoriously.

"You two are mean," Zuko laughs, rubbing his neck and dashing after his wife.

"That is a really scary snowman, Azula," Ty Lee remarks as the kiss breaks, studying it closely. "I'm going to have nightmares."

"I'll protect you from your horrible dreams about ice sculptures," Azula purrs, shifting her lips to Ty Lee's neck. Ty Lee moans faintly before realizing they are in public.

They abandon Azula's horrifying art project, and one of her victories against Katara, and head off to bed.


	34. Cupcake Wars

_(Theme Thirty-Seven) _**Cupcake Wars**

_(As Prompted By_) **x0xcoffeeandcigarettesx0x**

"Baking is fun, princess," Ty Lee whines and Azula sighs. She is going to wind up having to do this, isn't she?

It is another date, this one in the palace. Zuko seems pleased with Ty Lee's visit, because he is using her as a chi-blocking prostitute to keep Azula in line. It perturbs the princess, but she has to admit she likes having _someone _on her side. Now that Zuko and Mai are back together, the lustful desire is increased by tenfold.

"I don't _bake_. I'm a princess. Servants bake for me," Azula purrs airily but Ty Lee whimpers and bats her eyes. Azula closes her own eyes and hopes that it will prevent her from being won over by a baby animal face.

"There's that party tonight and it will be so fun if we bake the little cinnamon cakes for it," Ty Lee says, forcibly opening Azula's eyes with her fingertips. If Ty Lee were anyone but herself, Azula would bite off one of her fingers, or at least chomp into her hand.

"It's genuinely unbecoming of a princess and the noblewoman she's courting," Azula says with a small sigh. Ty Lee scowls; Azula _will _budge if it is the last thing she does.

"You're courting me?" A lopsided smile and a seductive bat of her eyelashes.

"There's not a better word for it," Azula sighs, rubbing her temples. She is going to end up _baking_. "You owe me. You realize that."

"I always pay my debts." Ty Lee pecks Azula on the lips as if that will sway her. But being perfectly honest, Azula has little else to do but lounge around, and she and Ty Lee have already slept together twice today. There is not anything else desirable to do, so perhaps degradation is the next step in curing her boredom.

"This debt paying better be pretty worth it," Azula purrs and Ty Lee winks at her. _Ugh_. That wink. Azula sits up slowly from her lounging position and gestures for Ty Lee to guide her to an oven.

Ty Lee sets up with ease, dashing about and gathering ingredients. Azula kicks out the servants with a particular pleasure in the condescension. The princess's nostrils are overwhelmed by cinnamon as Ty Lee seizes a bowl and gestures at the grand baking scenario she has built.

"Congratulations?" Azula offers, examining her girlfriend with mild distaste. "Where did you learn to bake, anyway?"

Ty Lee points at the oven and Azula goes to light it, waiting for her answer as she walks. "I picked it up a few places. I _do _live as a peasant most of the time. And in a circus. And... well, I'm not quite as _pampered _as you."

"I was a fugitive for two years," Azula offers in a sing-song tone and Ty Lee only cocks an eyebrow.

"Did you do a lot of baking while on the run from Zuko?" Ty Lee asks sweetly and Azula lights the oven and crosses her arms.

"I'm proud to say that I didn't," Azula purrs and Ty Lee kisses her again. They are at the endless touching phase of their relationship, according to Mai. And Azula has to admit she likes the wet heat of it.

Ty Lee starts laying out ingredients as Azula stares in mild disdain. But Ty Lee starts stirring and thrusting recipes into Azula's hands.

"You like analyzing things," Ty Lee says, batting her eyelashes for the thousandth time. Azula wants to tell her that it does not work, but she finds it appealing.

"I do," Azula admits with a small shrug. And so she dives into baking with Ty Lee.

As the cinnamon cakes are put in the oven in record time and Ty Lee is congratulating herself, in awe of her own abilities, Azula laughs slightly and sits on the counter. Ty Lee clutches the bowl of cake mixture to her chest and sticks her fingers into it, eating it in a way that makes Azula roll her eyes.

"You want some?" Ty Lee offers, extending one finger. Azula thinks of the fact that Ty Lee's saliva has been all over it, but then she realizes how many bodily fluids they have exchanged over the past several years and Azula licks it off of Ty Lee's finger, sending shivers through Ty Lee's spine.

Azula sucks on her finger and Ty Lee's eyes flutter.

"See, I'm good at that. Baking... not so much."

"Did you just admit you aren't a prodigy at something?" Ty Lee exclaims, laughing and swiping up more of the cake mix.

"I suppose." She glances at the sad cakes she burnt, not by putting them into the oven, but by searing them with her bending in a fit of rage. It is amazing they made any cakes at all with Azula's near mental breakdown over it.

Ty Lee shoves her finger coated in cake mix into Azula's mouth.

The princess sucks it off and then rolls her eyes.

"At least it's edible," she remarks and Ty Lee nods.

"That's kinda what I was going for. Now no more of this for you; I did all of the work." Ty Lee clamps the bowl to her chest and Azula simply gazes at the oven.

"The things I do for love," she sighs.


	35. A Dangerous Activity

_(Theme Thirty-Five) _**A Dangerous Activity (or of Sleazy Azula, Sword Swallowing Ty Lee and their first date)**

(_as prompted by_) **illegalsweaters**

"I'm _bored_, Azula," whines Ty Lee loudly, kicking her feet twice on the cold stone floor.

Azula looks up from her work, narrowing her eyes briefly at her friend. They have only been in the Fire Nation for a week after their excursion in Ba Sing Se, and Ty Lee is already whining about her boredom. She genuinely can only be happy while punching things or having sex with things and Azula finds it enticing. And grating.

"Would you like me to get you a coloring book?" Azula replies sharply and icily, congratulating herself mentally for how brutal her remark is.

Ty Lee frowns.

"You don't have to be so mean to her, Azula," Mai sighs, opening her eyes. She has been curled in a ball sleeping for the good part of an hour, her head resting on Azula's far-too-pointy hip.

"I'm going to go get an activity," Ty Lee interrupts loudly, demanding that they focus on her. "If you _want to join me_, Azula."

"I really have no desire to do an activity with you," Azula says sharply, once more genuinely pleased with herself. She can _feel _the applause of her internal psyche.

Ty Lee kicks the floor again and disappears into the palace. Mai groans.

They have been pretending not to be dating each other for exactly three weeks. It is going very well as long as Ty Lee is not trying to convince Azula to go on actual dates with her. Making out in dark rooms is pleasant; being caught in a secret affair while royalty is... not so pleasant.

"I thought you wanted her to have sex with you," Mai inquires quietly, hoping Ty Lee is out of earshot.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Azula sets down her stack of boring papers and Mai realizes she means business. Her ears involuntarily perk up. "The more I knock her down, the more she seeks to validate herself in my eyes. It's the only guaranteed way to sleep with her."

Mai opens her mouth to protest, but simply sighs. Terrible. Azula never ceases to amaze with her levels of terrible. Torturing Kyoshi Warriors and giving speeches about the machine of the Earth Kingdom threatening the Fire Nation's liberty and now... whatever _this _is with Ty Lee. She is a horrible, despicable human being but Mai has absolutely no desire to change that.

"Or," oh agni Mai is trying, "you could compliment her and flatter her."

"No, no, you don't understand at all. She would see right through that," Azula explains, knowing very well that when she is flattering someone who knows her well they generally look very frightened and presume she wants something from them. Which is usually the case.

"She's not exactly the brightest candle in the bunch." Mai shrugs.

"Hmph." But Ty Lee is back before Azula and Mai can argue further.

"Look!" Ty Lee declares shrilly and Azula and Mai both flinch. She is clutching a shimmering steel, perfectly straight and incredibly expensive sword. "I took this from one of those guard guys."

"If you kill me you will die a horrible death," Azula says fiercely as Mai inconspicuously slips slightly behind the princess.

"I'm not _killing you_. I don't know how to _swordfight_. Just watch!" Ty Lee says happily and Azula does not realize what she is doing until it is too late.

There are no possible words to describe it as Azula's lips are parted in surprise. She can barely register the fact that Ty Lee has just carefully put a sword down her throat and Mai is digging her arms into herself with a pained and aghast expression Azula did not think her neutral face could make.

"How do you do that?" Azula asks, leaning forward.

"She can't talk. She has a sword in her mouth," Mai says slowly, finally loosening her posture. She then smirks, examining the bizarre sight and adds snidely, "So that's why you're so popular with all of the boys, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee removes the sword slowly and is disappointed that they do not clap enthusiastically like her previous audiences. She coughs forcibly and watches Azula's eyes flash with a moment of concern, looking for blood. It takes _effort _to suppress her smile when she sees that Azula was _worried _about her.

"Very funny," Ty Lee belatedly replies to Mai and Azula simply crosses her arms.

"I could do that," she says and Mai sighs loudly, deciding to go back to sleep.

"It takes a lot of practice," Ty Lee says softly, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"You wanted to do an activity together; teach me how to do... that," Azula says, turning a palm up with a cocked eyebrow.

Ty Lee has no proper defense. She simply shrugs, decides this is a very strange first date and says, "Do you have any coat hangers?"


	36. Jasmine Tea

_(Theme Thirty-Six) _**Jasmine Tea**

_(as prompted by_) **ice cold desire**

"Well, you picked my favorite tea, I'll give you that," Azula comments cautiously and Ty Lee simply blinks twice. She is trying _far _too hard to look innocent, on which Azula remarks, "Wait... you want something from me."

Ty Lee blinks three times and her small, comforting smile does not falter. Azula sits down and pours herself a cup of tea, realizing she has gotten herself into something very dark simply by agreeing to tea. In this secluded part of the palace where no one will hear her scream. Ty Lee looks equal parts terrified and terrifying and Azula is incredibly uneasy.

"I want to ask you for a parenting favor," Ty Lee finally blurts out before gasping in. She had forgotten to breathe, and Azula finds it cute, kind of like when a kitten forgets to put its tongue back in. But she cannot be distracted by her weak, wimpy feelings for her wife; this is clearly an important situation.

"Not my favorite kind of favors." Pause. "I find both life-saving and sexual preferable."

"I'm sorry. But you have to do this. Drink your tea." Ty Lee gestures at the cup and Azula suddenly loses her appetite for it.

"It's drugged isn't it? You're going to drug me," Azula sighs with a cocked eyebrow and slightly curled lip.

"_No_. Just drink it and don't ask so many questions. Try trusting me for once."

Azula snorts derisively, but she drinks her tea anyway. She supposes if Ty Lee wanted to incapacitate her she would not need herbs.

"I want you to talk to our daughter about things." Ty Lee squirms slightly and Azula's stomach turns to steel.

"Did she do something terrible? Because you know how I feel about reprimanding her; we really just need to let her grow on her own."

"Okay, your shitty parenting aside, Azula she's really confused as to how she was conceived." Blunt and startling. Azula struggles to swallow the tea built up behind her rosy lips."I mean, she _knows _about sex making babies but she doesn't... well... she doesn't really understand how that worked with us. And, while you don't necessarily need to go into graphic detail... I feel kind of bad for her."

"She doesn't need to know that." Brief silence. "Ty Lee, she was under the impression that you gave birth to her until she was seven and Zuko let it slip. She doesn't need to know. Wait ─ why is she even asking these things? She's ten; she doesn't need to know where babies come from."

"I was like eight when you told me," Ty Lee chimes, cocking an eyebrow.

Azula drinks her tea. It is scalding but she completely ignores it to avoid having to answer this. She needs to think of something, _anything_ that excuses her from this.

"Why don't we ask Mai to do it?" is Azula's clever suggestion that Ty Lee responds to with a small frown. She looks very serious and it is an expression that makes Azula uneasy. "Alright, why do _I _have to do this?"

"Because I do absolutely everything else," Ty Lee says as if commenting on the weather. Azula is already uncomfortable and she does not even have to explain threesomes to her ten year old yet. There is still hope in this fight... probably.

"You are punishing me. This is cruel and unacceptable," Azula says sharply before regretting it. Agni, she wishes she had more ammunition in this.

"I'm not _punishing _you. I just don't... maybe we can do it together?" Ty Lee smiles hopefully, batting her eyelashes. Yet, Azula is not swayed.

"Ugh. That seems twice as awkward for everyone involved. Zuko, Zuko can do it." Pause. "That is if he has yet figured out where babies come from. I'm still not one hundred percent certain Izumi is his."

Ty Lee thinks for a moment. She sips her tea slowly, with a new expression of a general over a war table, and genuinely studies Azula, scanning for a weakness with focused, glinting eyes. Azula is trembling slightly, clearly realizing she is going to lose. And she must have known at some point they would have to explain this to their daughter.

"Maybe I'll ask your mother to do it." Ty Lee's protuberant eyes glitter with pure malice and joy.

Azula chokes on the tea she has been drinking far too fast. Her golden eyes flash and Ty Lee smiles smugly like a badgerfrog that just caught a particularly elusive spiderfly. Azula cannot fathom that she thinks she has just lost this argument. That is _not _how it works; Azula _always _wins.

"No. That is not acceptable at all," Azula says slowly, raising one clawed finger, and Ty Lee clasps her hands on her lap. "Did you just outsmart me?" Hesitation. "I let you win this to make you feel good."

"I know. Thank you for letting me win," Ty Lee says cheerfully and Azula takes a deep breath. All she can smell is jasmine tea and imminent discomfort.

"I am not prepared for this," Azula sighs, rubbing her temples weakly.

Ty Lee shrugs. "Your problem now."


	37. That Time Azusami Got Stuck in Seaweed

A/N: This one is dedicated to my little sister, who is both scared of seaweed and when she saw an ambulance in Yellowstone screamed gleefully, "I hope it's a bear attack!" I love her.

* * *

_(Theme Thirty Seven) _**That Time Azusami Got Stuck in Seaweed**

_(as prompted by_) **Aya Rose &amp; promiscuityisagift**

Azula has her eyes closed, the sun beating down on her. She breathes it in, in some level of peace on the silent, private beach. Although she is surrounded by her family, she is pleasantly pretending that they do not exist.

She has always detested Ember Island, but she has grown to tolerate it over time. Like tolerating the unbearable futility of her adult life with a far less glamorous job than she dreamed of, a far less exciting wife than she thought she would have, and a far more spoiled and rude daughter than she thought she would produce.

But she is happy, despite all of that. Maybe a little _boring _is good for her after sacrificing her childhood, normalcy and sanity for a war her ancestors started.

And then she hears a scream. An ear piercing scream that makes her heart jump into her throat. Azusami.

She is up on her feet before Mai and Ty Lee can even comprehend the scream of terror. And running, sliding across the sand towards the water where her daughter is shrieking like she saw an eel-shark. Which, Azula realizes with a surge of panic in her gut, could be possible.

And she seizes her daughter, pulling her into her arms and examining her frantically.

"It's on me!" Azusami wails, clinging to Azula tightly.

"What? What is on you? Burn it off," Azula says, her heart beating through her chest.

"I don't even know it's gross and slimy and terrible." And Azula sets down her daughter, sincerely hoping she has not been stung by some kind of sea monster, and sees that she is sobbing at green streaks over her body.

"It's... seaweed, Azusami," Azula sighs, the relief flooding through her as well as a good deal of shame. She dreams about losing her daughter constantly, and the thought that it could happen, in this moment, has just made her look completely ridiculous in front of Mai, Ty Lee and Izumi.

"Get it off!" She stomps her arms and feet and Azula kneels to her level. She slowly removes the seaweed with a controlled blue tongue of flame. And Azusami throws herself into her mother's arms, crying like a Zuko.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," Azula says as Azusami continues wailing.

"The ocean tried to kill me I am never going back in it ever!" screams Azusami as Ty Lee finally arrives. Azula cannot tell if she took her sweet time or Azula moved ridiculously quickly.

"You tried to save our daughter. You _do _have a heart, Azula," Ty Lee says blithely, masking her own panic at her daughter's screams. She kneels down and starts gushing over her and Azula breathes a small sigh of relief.

"If the ocean tries to kill you again, I will be forced to evaporate it," Azula says as calmly and coldly as she can, although her pulse is still racing.

"Thank you," Azusami squeaks, which is rare from her. Azula feels slightly satisfied, until Mai and Izumi arrive.

Mai and Izumi arrive _very _belatedly. Azusami is still crying and clinging to her mothers as Mai tries to figure out what happened and Izumi seems intrigued by the fact that Azusami was hurt. Well, not hurt, but she certainly is slimy.

"So, she got stuck in seaweed? You rescued her from seaweed?" Mai snickers and Azula rolls her eyes.

But before Azula can protest, there is a commotion at the beach nearby that is not private. Shouting, and as the family gravitates towards it in intrigue, there are doctors and lifeguards.

"Oh, look an emergency," Izumi remarks, with a glee in her eyes Mai finds unsettling. The crown princess sits up on her knees and tries to see what is happening.

Azusami throws the remaining seaweed off of herself and burns it with her bare foot. She really genuinely was glad to be the center of attention, but this is far more exciting. Azula and Ty Lee simply exchange a glance; _we raised a monster_.

"_Sami_, look, look, there's definitely a dead body," Izumi interrupts, hopping on her toes to see over the dunes that blockade the royal beach, and Ty Lee sets her hand over her mouth for a moment. Azusami clambers to Izumi and sits beside her.

"Oh, oh, I hope it's a bear attack!" Azusami exclaims and Azula laughs as Ty Lee whimpers and Mai sighs. At least she has forgotten about the seaweed. "I've _always _wanted to see a bear attack!"

"Bears don't live on Ember Island," Azula says gently as Mai is trying to hold Izumi back from going to investigate what is likely a drowning.

"How do you know? Have you ever seen a _bear_, mother?" Azusami retorts sharply, entirely ungrateful of Azula saving her life. Sort of.

"Actually, yes, I have. I once held a bear hostage," Azula says earnestly as Mai gives up on holding Izumi without much a fight.

"That's completely ridiculous. Don't lie to me. I'm not a baby anymore!" Azusami whines, her lower lip pouting. So ungrateful. Azula should have left her to the seaweed.

"It happened," Azula says softly, wilting slightly. "Its name was Bosco and your mom and aunt let it escape."

"Nope." And Azusami seizes Izumi to go to one of the sand dunes for a better view of the attack.

"It did happen," Azula murmurs feebly and Ty Lee wraps her arm around her wife, kissing her cheek.

"Well, you did save her from seaweed."

"I hate you." But Azula's protests are silenced by a kiss.


	38. Music Night

A/N: In honor of the week where everyone deals with their unbearable family: this prompt. Also, oh my god, we're at over 700 reviews. That's more than my brain can even comprehend. Thank you so much for all the support and the reviews make my day, each one. Also your prompts are all fantastic. Thank you :)

* * *

_(Theme Thirty-Eight) _**Music Night**

_(as prompted by_) **GuitarBOSS**

"I hate this city," Azula says for the thousandth time. Ty Lee forces a smile but it comes out as more of a grimace.

"We're on a vacation." Ty Lee gestures around at the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, smiling again but not making any progress with her girlfriend. This is almost intolerable; Ty Lee sometimes cannot believe she dates this insufferable downer.

It is a moonlit night in Ba Sing Se, the stars shining in the sky. Despite the size of the city, they are not nearly as blocked out by smog as Caldera. People are walking pleasantly with their friends and family, and music plays gently from one of the shops. Azula hates it. The ambiance makes her nauseous.

"We could have gone somewhere _nice_," Azula replies bitterly, crossing her arms as they walk up the street. "This city is terrible and it should have been mine."

"Ask for it for your birthday," Ty Lee retorts sharply and Azula's eyes flash wide. She did not expect Ty Lee to react so viciously. "We're going to see your uncle and it's going to be nice."

"He infuriates me, Ty Lee," Azula snaps as they slowly get closer to the Jasmine Dragon. Ty Lee makes a small groaning sound in response. "What? He does. He's frustrating."

"Please be nice. _Please_. Just for the two weeks we're here. Be _nice_," Ty Lee says softly and Azula sighs and rolls her eyes. "_Please_. I'll repay you somehow. Anyway, everybody hates the majority of their family. I fantasize about murdering most of my relatives at family gatherings. Everybody tolerates it."

"Ugh." Azula sticks her nose up in the air but Ty Lee knows she has won.

They arrive at the tea shop to hear music playing. Azula sighs as Ty Lee pushes open the door and finds Iroh surrounded by what must be his friends. They are all Earth Kingdom, to Azula's distaste. The men and two women look up, confused.

"This is my niece and her girlfriend," Iroh says, setting down his instrument on one of the tables and walking to them.

Azula tries feebly to dodge but he wraps her in his arms in a hug. She imagined it would be more halfhearted, but he squeezes her tightly and then does the same to Ty Lee.

"So... what are we interrupting?" Azula purrs as she and Ty Lee are liberated from Uncle's greeting. She looks at him kissing her cheek and restrains herself from burning him again. The memory of the attack in that deserted town satisfies her briefly, calming her tightened chest briefly.

"Music Night," Iroh declares pleasantly and Azula rolls her eyes. "You know... my niece has a beautiful singing voice."

"No I don't," Azula snaps as one of Uncle's friends looks excited at the prospect.

"You know that you do," Iroh says and the one of them who is lying is the predictable one. "I remember when you used to sing as a child."

Azula's nose has turned a deadly shade of red, her eyes narrowed and molten gold. Ty Lee smiles.

"Well, I play the Liuqin," Ty Lee says loudly and Azula glares at her. If looks could kill...

"Sing for us, Azula, please," Uncle says and Azula imagines herself throwing her body over one of the tables and tackling him. Hm, no, perhaps lightning right through the eye.

"For me." Ty Lee bats her eyes with her lips puffed and pouting. Azula examines her, then Uncle's friends. "I will love you forever if you play a song with me. Oh come on, you know that one that was playing in the city the night before we did that coup and I made you dance to it with me and then that night we─"

"My Uncle is in the room... and a bunch of weird peasants," Azula interrupts, her heart skipping a beat as Ty Lee almost finishes her sentence. Uncle does _not _need to know what happened that night between she and Ty Lee.

Iroh introduces Azula and Ty Lee to his friends; Azula does not retain any of their names. She sits down at a table in the corner as Ty Lee plucks up a Liuqin and starts playing it. Where she was hiding _that _talent, Azula has no idea. Then again, she likes _performing _and it only makes sense she would know an instrument.

"Are you going to sing?" Ty Lee asks brightly, looking up from her conversation with an old woman in an expensive green dress. Azula cocks an eyebrow with a sullen expression in response. She turns away and continues reading the menu to avoid drawing attention to herself."_Azula_, Azula, Azula, Azula, Azula, Azula, Azula. _Azula_!"

"What?" Azula snaps, setting the menu on fire. Iroh cringes.

"Sing."

Azula sighs, realizes she is not getting out of this, and slowly stands up. She turns to her uncle with a glint in her eyes and says, "A princess surrenders with honor."

It takes him a moment to remember, and he watches her small smirk with brief disappointment.

And so Azula joins in on music night.

She _does _have a beautiful singing voice, and where she was hiding it, Ty Lee has no idea. In fact, she never even heard Azula sing national anthems or anything. Probably some repressed, traumatic childhood memory Ty Lee does not want to ask about.

Music night was not _terrible_, Azula decides.

* * *

A/N: **Very Important Author's Note:**

I've never been happy with the title of this. I honestly titled it after the song I was listening to while writing the first drabble, and I've wanted to change it since September, but people, really, really don't like it when I change titles, and I don't like making my readers unhappy. Yet, it physically pains me to see the cringeworthy title and I just _need _to change it. I'm really sorry; I don't want to upset anybody because I love you all, but it really has to be done.

**Title Change! **─I'm changing the title to Chasing the Endless Sunrise after posting this chapter. I won't change the title again after this; I've put a good deal of thought into this new title since Novemberish. It's just really embarrassing to have a fic titled after a recent pop song to me.


	39. Heroes (AU)

A/N: This is the last modern AU; I know most people don't like Modern AUs, but this was a prompt I really liked. I have a sci-fi AU as well, then it's all canon / minor canon divergence drabbles. Also, I have all 100 prompts! Thank you so much everyone; you're the best readers ever, and all of the prompts are fantastic.

* * *

_(Theme Thirty-Nine_) **Heroes (Supervillain AU)**

_(As Prompted By) _**Fake Nails Real Hearts &amp; HeavenBesideYou13**

The newspaper that a man in the diner is reading details the story of The Phoenix and The Acrobat in a fight that took out an entire city block. Their rivalry grows stronger and New York City grows in tension day by day. It has its host of superheroes and villains, but two of them stand head and shoulders above the rest. The Acrobat is the embodiment of good, in many ways, but not afraid to dip to her enemy's level.

The Phoenix is the most competent villain superhero history has ever seen. And they despise each other entirely. The bright taunts and girlish laugh of The Acrobat versus the twisted smirks and clever puns of The Phoenix make quotes in newspapers, and the pictures of their clashes are on the front pages.

But in a world of superheroes, high school and nothing that can keep them together, Azula and Ty Lee could steal time, just for one day.

They are sitting in a diner, Azula looking incredibly uncomfortable. She studies the menu, which is distinctly different from the beautiful ones on parchment or expensive paper at the restaurants her father takes her to. Her date is blowing bubbles in her soda with a straw, as Azula looks at her already cold black coffee and wonders why she is doing this.

"I simply can't decide," Azula purrs sarcastically. "The food all looks so good from the... pictures."

Her lips curl in a snarl at how _beneath her_ this restaurant is. But Ty Lee seems completely content. Ick.

Azula wants to shudder. The hideous red _booths_, the wait staff that isn't bending over backwards, oh the _things she does for love._

There are three things of which Azula is certain. One, pretending to be normal is difficult. Two, she is in love with Ty Lee. And three, she has followed in her father's footsteps and embraced the life of New York City's greatest supervillain.

Azula may be the daughter of a millionaire, making footnotes in gossip magazines, but by night, she is a super-villain. She goes to her lovely private school, meets her girlfriend who likely is skipping school, goes to museums (which Ty Lee is bored by) and diners (which Azula finds cringe-worthy) and then by night, fights against the Painted Lady, Blue Spirit, Runaway and Acrobat just as daddy is proud of.

Her father is slightly less proud of Azula's choice in a mate. But there is something about Ty Lee that Azula finds irresistible. They have been friends for a long, long time, and the attraction has always been present. Perhaps they are bad for each other, but as Azula has learned from robbing banks and a variety of other conniving plots, being bad can feel so good.

"When do you have to be home?" Ty Lee asks as she lifts her coral pink lips from her straw.

Azula taps her expensive phone, carefully maneuvering around her pricey fake nails, and looks at the time. She clears her throat.

"Soon. But we have time. Maybe we should skip out on dinner and go for a walk." Azula crosses her fingers in hopes that Ty Lee will say yes. She would do anything to get out of this place.

"Yeah. Let's just go." Ty Lee tosses her menu aside and leaps up with preternatural grace. She is flexible, strong and moves like a dancer. Her explanation is years upon years of gymnastics, and Azula often wonders why she does not have any Olympic medals.

Azula leaves cash on the table for their drinks and the untouched appetizers and grabs her designer bag. She slings it over her shoulder as Ty Lee grabs her hand, then pulls away, wiping her sweaty palms on her blue jeans with a small apology, and holds Azula's hand again.

Ty Lee gazes at Azula as they head to the door. She can be incredibly mean, frustrating and a constant downer. But Ty Lee is not perfect either, she parties and drinks and gossips. But they are lovers, and that is a fact.

They walk out onto the street, the sun already setting and the moon rising. It is the dead of winter and Ty Lee wraps herself around Azula for warmth. Azula smirks faintly at the source of her heat, of which Ty Lee could never know. A secret identity is intriguing, and Azula cannot exactly go about flaunting that she has strange powers.

She looks at the magazines on one of the stands, the man running it playing a game on his phone. It could be robbed so easily. Ty Lee starts flipping through a celebrity magazine, Azula picks up an identical copy and sees a variety of snapshots of The Blue Spirit, The Painted Lady, The Runaway and The Acrobat. Vigilantes, all of them, in a corrupt city that needs to be _cleaned_ in their opinion. But it is Azula's city, and in her battles, she always wins.

"Oh, look, this one is about you," Ty Lee chirps, opening the magazine and holding it so close to Azula's face that she has to blink several times. It _is _an article about her, and she has already read it multiple times.

Despite her appearances as a socialite in magazines, she finds the articles about her alter ego far, far more interesting. Her favorite picture is of her with her body coursing with lightning, right before she struck down The Runaway, who had torn up half of the street with her powers.

The Runaway bent a car and threw it at Azula, the metal crunching under her tiny form of a teenager, but Azula melted it with the signature blue fire.

That fight made almost every news outlet, and Azula was quite proud of herself.

Ty Lee pays for her magazine, shoves it into her Hello Kitty backpack and grabs Azula again. They kiss, warm lips against each other. Azula breathes in for a moment, the scent of her perfume always familiar in a way she cannot quite place a finger on.

"Do you want to go to Central Park? Oh, oh, we can go on a moonlit stroll in front of all of the Christmas decorations!" She looks very proud of herself for thinking of that. Azula tries to hide how endearing she finds it.

"I suppose I have no choice," Azula purrs, shrugging. She conceals a smile as Ty Lee tugs her along through the night, talking about so much but saying nothing at all. Azula honestly just tunes her out most of the time, but pretends to be listening.

They find themselves in the park, Ty Lee thrilled by the lights. Azula examines them, trying to look disinterested. But it is fun for her, in a life that is run by strict rules and lessons and the constant need to be perfect for his father. The heir to a company. The... Ty Lee kisses her and Azula forgets for a brief moment that she can feel the weight of the world on her shoulders, slowly pressing down, suffocating her.

It is during that kiss, long and passionate and burning like the fire that Azula can produce, that an actual fire flies at them. Azula pushes Ty Lee out of the way, blocking it and abruptly realizing she is going to have a fabricate some lie for the outlandish act she just performed.

The Blue Spirit. Azula leaps up from the ground, startled he attacked her in the middle of the park and she without a disguise.

Of course he knows her. The Runaway, The Painted Lady and The Acrobat may have no idea, but The Blue Spirit Azula knows. The Blue Spirit Azula trained with before he became a _reformed_ supervillain. The Blue Spirit is her brother.

Azula throws a barrage of blue at him, lightning up the night in cerulean.

"You have a lot of nerve!" Azula shouts, summoning a whirlpool of fire. He blocks it, but it sends him stumbling backwards. "Why don't you take off the mask? You're not kidding anyone!"

He pauses, and then Zuko pulls off his mask and tosses it to the ground. The telltale scar from the day he betrayed his family and their legacy of amorality and superhuman powers. Azula smirks as she stands and decides she will very much impress her father by finishing him off once and for all.

"Any time is a good time to face off with your nemesis," Zuko remarks, cracking his knuckles. "You've really let your guard down now that you're going soft over that girl of yours."

"You think you're my nemesis?" Azula laughs mockingly, not playing along with his attempts at the threatening language taught by Ozai. Zuko is as bland as Superman and useless as Aquaman; he cannot pretend to be Ozai and threaten Ty Lee without looking ridiculous. "You aren't worth the _time_ for me to fight. It never is much of a clash."

"So who is it then? I think the tale of brother versus sister is pretty interesting." Zuko steps to the side and Azula lights her fingers.

"You know, being honest, I'd have to say The Acrobat," Azula says earnestly. She is the only opponent against which Azula has been unable to stand. She is the only one who has stopped Azula from winning. The power to strip away superpowers is... a little more threatening than bending metal with bare hands, controlling water and fighting fire with fire.

Ty Lee stirs slightly at that. She watches the fight slowly, feeling ready to hyperventilate. No, there's no way. There's no way her girlfriend is a _super villain_. Alright, it's a bit hot. A bit _very _hot. Ty Lee always did like the bad girls. But as a hero herself... it is probably unwise to be dating her.

Zuko throws fire at Azula and she blocks it.

"Oh, ZuZu," she sighs, clucking her tongue and quickly flipping out of the way of his second attack. "When will you ever learn that if you fight fire with fire, you just get burned?"

The flames that come out of her hands light the trees ablaze. Zuko puts them out and cautiously moves around Azula. He thought he would have it easy, going against her while she was on a romantic stroll. But she is far, far too prepared.

She summons lightning and Zuko's golden eyes flash. But when she releases the bolt, her signature move, he seizes it in midair and it surges through his body. He tosses it back at her and suddenly, she hits the ground. She does not feel the burn of electricity; Ty Lee, the girl who gossips about the rest of the cheerleading squad and still watches children's cartoons, has just shoved her out of the way and narrowly dodged the lightning herself.

Ty Lee springs forward in three flips, and, suddenly, Zuko's powers are gone. Azula's eyes flash.

The Acrobat. Well, isn't this funny. And The Blue Spirit is her ally... and she just struck her ally down to save Azula... Azula supposes it is love.

"Come on, come Azula, we have to go," Ty Lee shrieks, seizing Azula by the arm and pulling her off of the ground. They run through the park and stop at the Alice in Wonderland monument, ducking beneath the metal statues, hidden.

"You didn't tell me you were The Acrobat."

"You didn't tell me you were my _arch rival_."

"You are the most insufferable goody two shoes. And I thought I was dating someone more morally questionable."

Ty Lee kisses her. "I think I may flip sides."

"Hmm?" Azula smirks wickedly. She may be cold and calculated, but she does find it romantic and messily hot that she could have corrupted the angel of New York City.

"I'm starting to think that maybe evil has its perks." Ty Lee raises an eyebrow with a small, seductive smile.

"Like what?"

"Like you."

* * *

A/N: This one was really weird, but fun to write. I have no clue if I pulled it off, but I hope I did.


	40. Marriage Counseling Part I

A/N: Since 24 reviews last chapter asked me to write a multichapter superhero AU based on the last drabble, I've started outlining one. It should come out in summer; I'm glad to write it.

* * *

_(Theme Forty_) **Marriage Counseling Part One**

_(As Prompted By) _**Zippy Saboteur**

"Are they fighting again?" Mai whispers, trying to peek around the corner without getting caught. Zuko shrugs with a small grimace. "Maybe if we run by really fast..."

The state of Azula and Ty Lee has become completely terrifying to everyone in the palace. The fights start over incredibly petty things, but eventually devolve into them screaming each other's flaws, and gradually, it is the same fight again and again. Zuko and Mai learned the hard way to avoid their melodramatic lover's quarrels at all costs, but at the moment, Azula and Ty Lee are standing directly between Zuko, Mai and their bedroom, and it is three in the morning.

"They'll see us," Zuko murmurs as Ty Lee accuses Azula of being the most selfish and inconsiderate person she has ever met.

"Okay, if we go outside around the courtyard, and then climb through the window, I think we can avoid them," Mai suggests with a crack of her knuckles as Azula calls Ty Lee a vapid whore.

Mai chews on her lip and cocks an eyebrow at Zuko. He seems to be thinking before slowly shaking his head. Ty Lee tells Azula she is exactly like her father, and Mai inhales sharply, her neck bones jutting out and her amber eyes wide.

"I'm intervening," Zuko says as Azula takes a deep breath, preparing for a tirade that will possibly end the fight, or extend it by another hour, depending on how angry Ty Lee is right now.

"Zuko, please, don't intervene. Don't die. Who will be Fire Lord?" Mai mumbles, seeming genuinely concerned. That solidifies the fact that Zuko needs to do something about this before it gets even more out of hand.

"My Uncle until Izumi is old enough. Don't let them give it to Azula. _Don't_." He walks into the room as Mai slowly shakes her head. "Hey, you two, please, calm down, maybe?"

Ty Lee and Azula spin around to face Zuko at the same time, Azula's lips curled into a snarl and Ty Lee's face bright red, mascara streaking down her face. Zuko swallows, and reminds himself why this is important to do. While his wife, sister and soon-to-be sister-in-law are skeevy, underhanded and evade doing the right thing as if they are allergic to it, Zuko has learned over time that helping other people is an invaluable skill.

"This isn't your fight. I suggest you turn around and walk back into the hallway before I'm forced to harm you," Azula says, pointing one clawed finger at him. Zuko's eyes shift to focus on her finger before he blinks several times.

"I didn't want it to come to this, Azula," Zuko says as calmly as he can, slowly shaking his head. "I'm sending you two to marriage counseling."

Ty Lee laughs mirthlessly and Azula's eyebrow twitches. "I do not do psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, or any other kind of shrink. You should've learned this by now."

"It has to happen. You know, Mai and I will do it too, if it makes you feel better."

"What?" exclaims a gravelly voice from the shadows of the hallway. "Zuko!"

Azula crosses her arms. "My fiancee can decide."

"Oh, oh now you're not a complete control freak. When you need me to look like the bad guy," Ty Lee says shrilly in a tone that could shatter eardrums.

Azula shrugs. "Your choice."

"If you say that one more time─"

"Marriage counseling for both of you! As Fire Lord, I declare this as some kind of legal thing!"

"You can't just do that. That is sheer abuse of power," Azula says in a tone that would make most grown men run, taking one step towards Zuko. He fights his urge to step backwards and straightens his back. "You have _no right_."

"It is well within my rights as Fire Lord of everything. I am done!" Zuko exclaims and Ty Lee wraps her arms around herself with a baby animal face. She bats her eyelashes and Zuko glares at her. "Don't look at me like that, Ty Lee! Neither of you are getting out of this. I declare it as Fire Lord! I declare it!"

And he quickly walks away as they stare at him in shock and confusion.

"That went so well, Zuko," Mai murmurs sardonically as he grabs her hand and they bolt for their bedroom as Azula and Ty Lee are distracted by the fact that Zuko has legally prescribed them counseling.

_To Be Continued . . . _

* * *

A/N: **Shameless Promo**: I've posted a Tyzula fourshot; it's called Hurricane Season and is rated M. It's not an Azula Redemption like I usually write, and I'd love it if people checked it out :3


	41. Marriage Counseling Part II

_(Theme Forty-One) _**Marriage Counseling Part Two**

_(As Prompted By) _**Zippy Saboteur**

"I don't need counseling," Mai says sternly, stopping walking in front of the door. Zuko pulls on her gently and she does not move. "You all need counseling. _They _are horrible and mean. _You _are traumatized. I am the only sane person in this family."

Zuko is not sure how to respond to that. Azula makes a scoffing noise and Ty Lee rolls her eyes. Mai gives them both a smoldering glare. Ty Lee looks away sharply, with birdlike movements, but Azula simply stares back, and Zuko steps between his wife and her two best friends before anything escalates.

"I told them we would go with them, Mai. I keep my promises," Zuko attempts, hoping she will see reason where Azula and Ty Lee will not.

"I have never kept a promise in my life and I don't intend to start now," Mai replies sharply, knowing it is an exaggeration and not caring.

"You should have told me this before we got here," Zuko sighs, trying not to scream in frustration. It was hard enough getting them all across the city to partake in family counseling, and now they stop at the door. "You're acting as maturely as our daughter. How does that make you feel?"

"I'm not moving." Mai crosses her arms and assumes defensive posture. Zuko takes a deep breath to avoid cringing. Ugh.

"I'm not moving either," Azula says brightly and Zuko groans.

"Well, I would say I wasn't moving, but then I'd just look like I was copying the smart girls," Ty Lee whines and Zuko simply does not know where to begin.

"You are all coming inside," Zuko says, wondering when he became a father of four, "and you can leave if you hate it. I was really hoping we could make history by being the first immediate family in the royals _not _to kill each other. Think of it that way. Making history."

"So, if we hate this therapy thing, we're allowed to kill each other?" Azula cocks an eyebrow, looking intrigued.

"No, Azula," Zuko says in a tone of absolute exasperation.

"That's how I heard it. Let's go inside." And with that she seizes her fiancée by the wrist and walks into the quaint little building.

"I'm hiding behind you when they come for us," Mai says bitterly to Zuko before following them.

Zuko looks, his face contorted with frustration and concern, at them walking away. Well, at least he got them to go inside, for better or for worse.

And so, he follows, in hopes that this will not fail miserably.

* * *

The problems arise as soon as they are in the beautiful red building. It is adorned with pink and gold, and kitschy decorations and baubles. The incense is far too fruity for Zuko's tastes, but that is not the problem; the problem is Azula expression as soon as the woman opens her mouth to introduce herself.

"Are you married?" Azula asks the counselor before she can speak, clasping her hands atop of her legs.

"What?" the woman inquires, looking startled. Usually, sessions like these start out silent and uncomfortable, and she has to drag anything out of the clients before any progress can be made. But the royals have all seated themselves and started silently assigning blame to each other.

"Azula, don't harass her," Zuko interjects but she simply shrugs. This was a terrible, terrible idea and he is only just realizing it. Decisions at three in the morning simply should not be legal. At three in the morning he has _terrible _decision making skills.

"Well, I just want to know if you're some failed matchmaker or a person with a legitimate relationship. I mean, that's a valid question," Azula says, with a faint smile and small shrug. "Let's see─"

"Azula, I will _send you to prison _if you finish that sentence," Zuko says abruptly and even Mai has a shocked expression. "I will do it. No one will argue."

"I'll escape."

"I will chase you. I will hunt you down." Zuko looks incredibly serious and Ty Lee seizes Azula's hand as if to protect her.

"Some job you did last time. I actually got so bored of hiding that I had to surrender. You never were good at hide and seek. Or tag. Or, well, anything."

Ty Lee interrupts, "I thought you surrendered because you loved me and didn't want me to be a fugitive."

"That too," Azula says, shrugging again. She seems to be enjoying this, making her the only one. Mai simply stares at the window, contemplating escape. "And also the soul crushing boredom."

"Can we leave, Zuko? I've decided I hate it," Mai says softly, before the counselor has even introduced herself.

She is altogether stunned. Even the most tense of families and couples she have dealt with have not simply erupted the moment someone pointed out there was a problem.

There is a brief silence as Azula, Ty Lee and Mai all three look pleadingly at Zuko. He fights the urge he also has to run away as fast as possible and shakes his head. Fixing this family is important to him, and he genuinely intends to do so.

"Ugh," Mai groans, returning to studying the window. "Look, I don't want either of them knowing any of my secrets, because they'll exploit them. They do not need to know anything about our marriage. It will only get me more cruel nicknames."

"That was only one cruel nickname, and I have never told any of your secrets. She just tells me. I have always valued your privacy," Azula purrs and Mai inhales sharply.

"It is Ty Lee. You're right," Mai agrees and Zuko grimaces.

"Okay, _Mai_, you also told Azula all of _my _secrets. All of them. That's why I braided lice into your hair," Ty Lee says sweetly and the counselor has officially lost any ability to do her job.

"Did you tell each other my secrets?" Azula whispers, looking afraid to intervene but too curious to help herself. "Did I win our friendship?"

"Friendship is not a competition," Ty Lee declares and Azula recoils slightly. "You can't _win _at friendship. That's why we have no friends!"

"That's not true. We have Mai... and Zuko... that's _two _friends. Some people have _no _friends," Azula says cheerily and Ty Lee's eyes flicker in a fashion that makes Zuko slide back on his chair slightly. He no longer wants to be associated with this three in the morning decision.

"Mai and Zuko are not my friends! Well ─ they are, sorry, Mai and Zuko ─ but I had all kinds of friends that weren't my immediate family."

"If they were such great friends, they'd still be friends with you regardless of who you were marrying," Azula says coolly, tilting up a single palm.

That is _it _for Ty Lee.

"They're still my friends! I just have to meet them in secret like they're some kind of drug dealers because they all are too scared to be around you!"

"I am very nice to people who you like," Azula protests.

"You are very nice only when you want something," Ty Lee says, her eyes narrowed on Azula like a target. But Azula does not squirm like Mai and Zuko are.

"That's not true. I'm usually far crueler when I want something," Azula answers in a sing song tone that has Mai certainly Ty Lee is going to harm her.

"Don't call me a liar!" Ty Lee screams and the counselor is unsure if she has lost already or has her work cut out for her.

"I didn't. I just said that you say lots of things that aren't true," Azula replies with a small, self-satisfied smirk.

"I'm going to strangle her." Pause. "I'm sorry, Azula."

"It's alright. I know you only said it because you knew it would hurt me most."

Silence. "Look, we did therapy, can we leave now?" Ty Lee asks, batting her eyelashes at Zuko.

"No, because you said you're not friends with me," Mai says, peeling her eyes from the window. "We're going to stay for this whole session now."

Azula scoffs and snarls, "Oh that's petty and immature. Zuko was right about you behaving an awful lot like your toddler."

"My toddler behaves an awful lot like _you_," Mai snaps and Azula shrugs. "Two days ago, I brought her breakfast in bed to be nice to her and she hesitated for a moment and asked me what I was trying to get out of her. Then I told her she wasn't allowed to play with you anymore and she cried hysterically and said she loved you more than me."

"That's so sweet of her," Azula croons as the counselor opens her mouth and quickly closes it.

But Zuko should have known that getting them in an isolated room and saying there was a problem in their relationships would make them defensive. He is only grateful that Azula has yet to make their therapist cry or quit her job, which is, incidentally, why he stopped taking her to therapists.

"Does she..." occurs to Zuko as Ty Lee is screeching something at Mai, "does Izumi go to Azula if we die, Mai?"

"I don't think so. Do we have a will?" Mai replies and the shift in tension leaves Azula and Ty Lee and moves to Zuko and Mai in a flash.

Silence. "I didn't... finish it."

"You didn't finish our will? So help me, your mother will try to steal our baby." Mai's voice has gotten very quiet, which Zuko, Azula and Ty Lee know means she is _incredibly _angry.

"Well, if I were to write it, I would likely send her to my mother," Zuko says and Azula cringes at how he just fucked himself.

"Zuko, she hates your mother. She thinks your mother hates her and comes home crying when she visits her. How could you not notice this? Ugh. Your issues with your mother are so disturbing. All of your problems are because of her." Mai is only getting quieter, and quieter, and her nose redder, and redder.

Azula interjects, "That's what I've been saying for years but nobody listens."

"Did you tell Izumi mother hates her?" Zuko snaps, now seeming more livid than the three women.

"Why would I do that? When people ask about my mother I tell them she died in childbirth because that's what I like to pretend," Azula says, smirking. Zuko clenches his fists and tries to keep from burning something to ashes. "That's my ideal world. Without our mother, my life would be blissful. She even admits it."

"She is pretty terrible to Izumi," Mai murmurs and Zuko gives her a heart wrenching stare of utter betrayal. "Izumi says she loves her other kids better. But she also does try. She's just not very good at it."

"You know, this brings me to my point," Ty Lee declares loudly, in a tone that succeeds at making everyone pay attention to her. "Azula, I want to have children with you and have a real life and if we can't even make it through a day without coming close to murdering each other... I just don't know."

The feeling of the cramped room shifts entirely. Mai is intrigued by what Azula's response to that could be, Zuko is simply glad the heat is no longer on him, and the counselor is startled that this family is making more progress on their own than they would be if she was coaching them through it.

"There are reasons why we want to marry each other, evidently," Azula says, trying to maintain a distance from the impact of Ty Lee's declaration, but her chilly tone is warmed over. Ty Lee has struck a nerve that has nothing to do with trying to hurt Azula in their fights.

"I really love you. It's completely ridiculous and crazy and probably just a really bad idea, but I really love you," Ty Lee says, making everyone but she and Azula beyond uncomfortable.

"I'm well aware," Azula says and Mai scoffs at her. "Alright, the feeling is mutual. And we probably ─ and know that I am _serious _about this ─ think we should try to work through these little flaws before we sign each other over for life."

"That's all I want," Ty Lee says, nearly swooning.

The absurdity and instability of Ty Lee and Azula never ceases to amaze Fire Lord Zuko.

Their lips touch. The counselor cocks an eyebrow in confusion and Mai turns to Zuko.

"I am never forgiving you for this. And so help me, you're writing our will."

"I don't get a warm, fuzzy, happy ending?"

"People who force other people into marriage counseling don't get happy endings," Mai says dryly.

Zuko tries to kiss her and she turns away, making his teeth graze her cheek.

Close enough.

* * *

"We will be _so _good now, Zuko," Ty Lee says shrilly as soon as they get back to the palace, clinging to Azula's waist. Azula nods in assent, forcing a smile with her entire mouth, not just half of it. Zuko does not know if he should be happy or disconcerted.

"Please don't make us go back," Mai sighs and Zuko feels a twinge of guilt. "I don't think that poor woman will _let _us back. But don't try."

"I think you made some, er, progress," Zuko says before excusing himself from the room as quickly as possible.

Azula and Ty Lee are left alone, Ty Lee still clinging to Azula.

"I hate shrinks. I've had so many. More than any human needs," Azula purrs, studying Ty Lee for a moment. "Do you really want _children _with me?"

"I want a lot of things with you, Azula. If I wasn't serious, I wouldn't do something this reckless and totally ridiculous. Leaving the life I carefully built, abandoning all I hold dear, marrying the least stable person who ever lived, joining the craziest, most horrible family in history..." Ty Lee lists, trailing off to stare at Azula's lips.

"I still think I'm an incredible catch," Azula purrs, and she kisses her fiancée before Ty Lee can protest or list reasons why she is the one making the sacrifice.

"You have your moments," Ty Lee whispers, kissing Azula again. "That was a horrible experience. But we lived through it together, and I think we're stronger as a family now."

"Ugh. Stop being so positive." They think for a moment that they are going to break out into yet another screaming match, but they wind up doing quite the opposite.

_Quite the opposite_.


	42. Spies and Lies

_(Theme Forty-Two) _**Spies and Lies**

_(As Prompted By) _**LemonLimeGrandSupreme**

It is the dead of the night in the Fire Nation winter, and two girls are alone in the dark streets of Upper Class Caldera. One of them has a braid and an expression on her face that could kill a king, and the other looks on the verge of tears, shifting her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably.

The moonlight reflects on the scene that could get very nasty. Ty Lee is on her absolute _last _break-up before she swears off men and women forever and reverts to casual sex. Even though she wants to get married so much...

"I'm really sorry, Ty Lee," Oren breathes, looking at her girlfriend of seven months with agony in her eyes.

"If you were sorry you wouldn't be breaking up with me," Ty Lee snaps, crossing her arms and fighting rage and tears. She has never been _broken up with _until she moved back to the Fire Nation two years ago. Nobody ever would even _dream_ of breaking up with her, no matter what Azula twists the truth into being.

And now Ty Lee has been given the, _it's not you, it's me_ speech several times and she has no idea what could be wrong with her.

"It has nothing to do with you," Oren says, wringing her hands. She looks almost as if she has a sword pointed to her neck as she slowly forces the words out of her rosy lips.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it," Ty Lee says, sticking her nose up in the air. Oren sighs weakly. "You are _never _going to do any better than me. I am hot, and funny and wonderful to be around. It's _your _loss."

"I know it is," Oren offers as she watches her now ex-girlfriend walk away.

Ty Lee thought she would marry Oren. So much for that.

She kicks the wall of a shop in rage as she rounds the corner and heads home.

* * *

"You're spying on her?" Zuko asks incredulously. He does not know what to say to that, or even how to fathom it.

He has walked in on Azula, questioned her, and her answer, while roundabout, scathing and evasive, led to the fact that she has been spying on her ex-girlfriend. Espionage is one thing in the dead of war, but to keep tabs on your ex is twisted even for Azula. Zuko is perturbed by it, to say the least.

"I'm not _spying_."

"You are holding reports from spies in your hands right now. I mean, Azula, I don't spy on my ex-girlfriend," Zuko breathes, narrowing his eyes at her with his lips slightly open. She baffles him in the absolute worst way.

"I have spied on Mai and Ty Lee for my whole life. It's no different. Ty Lee was just out of the reach of my claws while she was on Kyoshi Island. If you'd like to know what Mai is up to right now, I'm sure I have a report somewhere," Azula purrs and Zuko rubs his eyes.

"You're not bribing me with information on my ex-girlfriend's life. I don't need to know." Zuko does not want to be an accomplice in this.

"You don't need to know about her new boyfriend who's planning on proposing to her?" Azula asks, cocking an eyebrow and watching her brother simmer. Oh, it is such a lie. Mai is going to die with cobwebs in her panties at her rate of relationships, but Zuko's expression is priceless.

"Her what? Tell me." Zuko leans forward and Azula has to edge back slightly on the sofa.

"Oh, but that would be spying, ZuZu. Which is completely wrong and immoral," Azula taunts melodically, smirking. "It's such a shame that I know several ways to sabotage a blooming relationship since we broke up, but you're too _above _doing it. You know, I'll bring you as my plus one to the wedding."

Azula cracks her knuckles and shuffles the papers on Ty Lee, waiting for Zuko. She can almost count in her head. _One, two, three, and..._

"You know, it's not really spying when you think about it. It's checking in on people from your past to make sure they're okay," Zuko says, more to himself than Azula as he turns a palm up. Azula suppresses a smile. _And a gross misuse of power_, Zuko thinks, but he can't help it. "You know, who gave you the power to spy on others?"

"Same people I've always used." Azula shrugs.

"You have spies? How long have you had spies?" Zuko is trying his best to keep from caving in and demanding to know about Mai's new boyfriend. He knows he is better than that, and he should be happy that she is happy. Or whatever feeling close to happiness Mai experiences.

"Since I got tired of doing it myself. Hm, like twelve? Yes, around twelve," Azula says, shrugging. She is enjoying this far more than she should be. "Well, these reports have been very informative to me. I'm going to go collect my ex-girlfriend while she's on the rebound from Oren."

"Who's Oren?"

"Ty Lee's now ex-girlfriend."

"What happened between them?"

"I don't know." Azula shrugs and winks before getting up and walking away.

"You are the worst person in the history of ever!" Zuko shouts after her before feeling entirely ridiculous.

"I know!" Azula shouts back on her way out.

* * *

Ty Lee is out performing retail therapy when she meets fate and chance head on. One arm is draped in clothes from the boutique she is shopping in, and the other clutches bags from the past five shops. She is _almost _feeling better after crying herself to sleep over Oren.

It is at that moment that someone bumps into her. Literally bumps into her, and then catches the bags of jewelry Ty Lee drops.

"Thank you, uh..." Ty Lee looks up and cannot finish her sentence.

"Well, I never expected to run into you," Azula purrs, helping Ty Lee to her feet.

"Why are you out? Don't you have people for this?" Ty Lee asks, trying to sound bitter and detached, but feeling incredibly vulnerable to Azula's piercing, golden eyes. The only eyes like that Ty Lee has ever seen.

"I have escaped the palace for reasons I don't feel comfortable divulging in whatever this disgusting shop is." Pause. Azula examines Ty Lee and then furrows her brow. "You look really hurt. Are you shopping to make yourself feel better? Is there someone who needs to disappear?"

Ty Lee can't help but laugh.

"You know," Azula continues, "I promised you years ago that if some boy ever broke your heart, he might just... go missing."

"Azula, you know me really well, don't you?" Ty Lee asks, smiling faintly. "I keep thinking about visiting but I just... backed out every time I got close."

Azula shrugs. "It would've been nice to see you, but given the circumstances of our fairly nasty break-up, I can manage to forgive it. Look, why don't I take you out to lunch? Not as a date, of course. It's never too late to make amends with old friends. Although, I'm sure you've made plenty of them here in the Fire Nation."

"Actually," Ty Lee says, blushing from flattery but feeling the compulsion to be honest, "I don't have any."

"Well, I suppose I'll take the honor of being your friend. And, oh, this time I didn't even circulate nasty rumors to make it so you were forced to befriend me and Mai. How kind of me."

"You're very generous," Ty Lee says, with a sarcastic smirk.

Ty Lee probably shouldn't be walking out of this door as Azula tells the shopkeeper Ty Lee has no need to pay, and she shouldn't be reaching for Azula's hand as they turn the corner towards a block of restaurants and tea shops. They broke up a full year ago, after dating for five, and Ty Lee _should _know better.

But honestly, as she sits down at lunch and Azula says all of the right things... Ty Lee doesn't know better anymore.

And Ty Lee is very glad for the first time that she has lost so many relationships over the past year, as Azula draws her back in with a gravitational pull too strong to resist.

"I think I'm still in love with you," Ty Lee murmurs as the sun is setting.

"I could kind of tell by how we've been out together for five hours today. You don't really have the longest attention span, and I'm not a fan of─"

Ty Lee silences her with a kiss.

It isn't _lying _really. Azula _does _miss Ty Lee incredibly, and finds it impossible to move on. And Ty Lee evidently feels the same way even if all of her break-ups were orchestrated by the princess.

It isn't _lying _really. Sometimes the truth is worse than a lie.

And they couldn't hide from their feelings forever, regardless of spies and lies.


	43. Pimps Don't Cry

A/N: This one is the backstory for the drabbles where Azula and Ty Lee are on arranged dates. The prompt fit it incredibly well, and I've always wanted to write Zuko hiring Ty Lee to chi-block Azula in order to give her some freedom, but also control her. And so, well, this oneshot was born.

* * *

_(Theme Forty-Three) _**Pimps Don't Cry**

_(As Prompted By) _**FanfictionVillainess**

"So, Ty Lee, I heard you were looking for a job in the Fire Nation," Zuko says carefully, hoping he is not poking any nerves. But Ty Lee simply smiles at him.

"Yes, I am. Do you have any ideas?" Ty Lee replies sweetly, completely oblivious to the fact that Zuko is offering her a job.

They are sitting in a teashop, Ty Lee quite enjoying being out with the Fire Lord. It makes her feel incredibly special, and, if there is anything she likes, it is feeling special. The fact that Zuko asked her to tea when they do not speak often unless Zuko is visiting the Kyoshi Warriors is a little strange, but she is enjoying it anyway.

Mai is reclining beside Zuko, her eyes glittering with knowledge that Ty Lee is made slightly anxious by. She is glad that Mai and Zuko are dating again, but it is kind of weird that they invited her on one of their dates. They definitely have ulterior motives, therefore, Ty Lee finds playing dumb as the best course of action.

"Well, I have a lot of money for paying people," Zuko says, already feeling awkward. "And I was thinking that, uh, well, I don't want to phrase this weirdly. You know that my sister is living with me now?"

"Mhm," Ty Lee says, nodding. She then feels guilty that she has evaded visiting Azula this entire time. They did not leave off very well, and Ty Lee is honestly too afraid to confront her.

"And you know how she used to date you?" Zuko asks and Ty Lee is starting to get nervous. If Azula sent _Zuko _to ask her out for her, Ty Lee is going to be livid.

"Mhm..." Ty Lee says, filling her mouth with white tea.

"Well, I was thinking I would pay you to be friends with her again."

"Uh." Ty Lee scratches her nose as Mai snickers. "I'm not a prostitute, Zuko."

Zuko's face turns bright red as he realizes what he has just said. Mai is laughing harder now and people in the shop are starting to stare.

"No, I'm not asking you to have sex with her!" Zuko exclaims and now everyone is staring. Mai licks her lips and bites them to keep back her laughter. Zuko then lowers his voice and leans closer to Ty Lee, "I'm not asking you to have sex with her. Or even to be friends with her. Well, it would be good if she thought you were friends with her. I'm paying you to be a bodyguard."

"Azula needs a bodyguard?" Ty Lee asks, surprised. She wonders what happened to the princess to make her weak enough to require protection.

"Not a bodyguard for _her_. A bodyguard for the people _around her_," Zuko says and Ty Lee's eyes flicker.

"How much are you paying?" Ty Lee asks, knowing her training as a soldier has not helped out her resume in retail. But chi-blocking is definitely a commodity in the stopping Azula from going on a blood fucking rampage line of work.

"You want salary or hourly wage?" Zuko asks, examining his tea.

"Salary."

"Twenty thousand gold pieces a year."

"Forty thousand gold pieces a year and I'll be her bodyguard. For ten thousand more I'll play along with your little lie that I want to be her friend again. Plus, full royal amenities and I never want to walk where I have to go _ever again_," Ty Lee says brightly and Zuko has to set down his tea.

Where she learned to bargain like that, Zuko has no idea. But compared to the average property damage of one of Azula's outbursts, it's a fair deal.

"Deal," Zuko says, holding out his hand and shaking hers.

Mai just slowly shakes her head. "I'm going to watch this explode like fireworks at a festival." She pauses. "Pop, pop, pop," she punctuates with small hand motions.

"Just believe in me, please," Zuko sighs to his girlfriend.

"Pop."

* * *

"Pay me," Ty Lee demands coolly as they stand in the hallway leading towards Azula and Zuko's bedrooms.

The hallway is dimly lit and mostly abandoned. Zuko's room is pristine, glistening and smells of citrus, the doorknob golden and polished, but none of the servants delve into Azula's allotted side of the living quarters. They are all too frightened, and Zuko does not blame them. So it is dusty, grungy, and feels like walking into a haunted house. It all smells like her perfume: Eau De Zuko's Nightmares.

"Now?" Zuko asks feebly, sighing as she waves her fingers.

He has not informed her that this is the thousandth attempt to find a way to keep Azula in check. Ty Lee does not need to know that Zuko is reaching the end of his rope, and already has enough on his plate as Fire Lord and keeper of peace alongside the Avatar. And now, after his sister decided to go on a bloody rampage, he has to find some way to contain her while still allowing her enough freedom to be able to sleep at night without guilt.

"Oh, Zuko, you should've known better than to show flexibility and weakness to the daughter of the Fire Nation's wealthiest businessman," Mai commentates flatly with her amber eyes sparkling.

"Okay, fine, I'll pay you some good faith money," Zuko assents, handing her a coin purse he had in his streetclothes.

Ty Lee weighs it in the palm of her hand for a drawn out amount of time for effect. "Alright. It'll do."

She walks through the dusty hall, coughing, and knocks on Azula's door. There is silence and Ty Lee feels anxious, until there is finally motion behind the door. Azula opens the door and hesitates, narrowing her eyes at her brother, his girlfriend and her ex-girlfriend.

"What do you want?" Azula demands sharply. Zuko is crossing his fingers that this will somehow work out.

"I think I'm allowed to visit you if I want to," Ty Lee says sweetly and Zuko grimaces.

"You haven't made an effort before," Azula replies, leaning on the arch of the door. Ty Lee is not intimidated by her power positions. Mostly because she is wearing a nightgown and has her eyeliner smeared on her forehead from sleeping face down.

Ty Lee pauses with her plump lips pursed. "Your brother is paying me."

Zuko chokes; that was not part of the bargain. Mai's shoulders shake with silent giggles.

"He's... he's what? One moment." Azula shoves Ty Lee out of her way, the acrobat shrieking in surprise as Azula walks out of her bedroom to face her brother.

He shrugs, smiling faintly at her.

"I know it's hard to tell, but she isn't a prostitute," Azula snarls, pointing at Ty Lee with one clawed finger. Ty Lee sets her hand on her chest with her lips tightly sealed, as if she wants to shout but is restraining herself.

"It's not! I'm not paying her to have sex with anybody! Why do you keep assuming that?" Zuko exclaims in utter exasperation. He has been trying to find a way to contain his sister, and he finally thought he had it, but of course it did not work.

Azula pauses, narrowing her eyes. Her gaze pierces into him, vivisecting him for the truth.

"I don't need you to pay people to have sex with me, be friends with me _or _protect me. I am capable of doing all of those things on my own," Azula says and Mai's laughter is no longer silent.

"Yeah, Zuko, she can be her own girlfriend... unlikely with fingernails like that, but nothing is impossible for Princess Azula," Mai comments and Zuko groans.

"He paid me," Ty Lee says, brushing herself off, "to protect the people around you. So that you could leave the palace or something."

"I have no desire to leave the palace. I have no desire to be your friend." She is backing into her bedroom slowly. "I am going to lock this door, and you are going to go find yourself another job. Perhaps as an actual prostitute; I hear it pays well."

Ty Lee lunges at the door and blocks it with her foot as Azula slams it. Zuko and Mai both cringe but Ty Lee does not even wince.

"The only reason I'm not killing all of you right now as because she's going to stop me," Azula snarls.

"That's why I hired her," Zuko says, turning his palms up.

"I will consider your offer," Azula lies, pulling the door back and slamming it on Ty Lee's foot again. Mai recoils and Ty Lee remains stony-faced.

"Azula," Ty Lee says sweetly, like poison mixed into honey tea, "we are going to be best friends and you are going to like it."

"I refuse." Another slam. Another slam, harder this time. "Zuko, you can't make me do this! You're not my real dad!"

"I am not moving. Azula, I can do this all day," Ty Lee says, grinning wickedly.

"I'd like to see you try. You don't have the best attention span," Azula says coldly, but she does not slam the door again. "Alright, let's see if you can do this all day. If you outlast me, I'll allow you to be my chi-blocking prostitute. If I outlast you, I never have to see you again."

"Deal," Ty Lee says instantly, before Azula can change her mind.

* * *

"I would rather be watching paint dry." Mai is lying on the floor of the hallway as she complains dryly. Zuko is slumped next to her with his feet resting on her abdomen. "How long has it been? Do we have to stay for this?"

"It has been one minute since you last asked one minute ago," Zuko groans. "So, seven hours."

"Azula, just give up!" Mai shouts before sighing and trying to melt into the floor.

"I once stood on broken glass for four hours every morning for two months straight. I am _not _giving in," Azula breathes viciously with a life in her Zuko has not seen since she surrendered herself four years ago.

"My mom made me hold ice cubes in my hands when I failed tests. Which was often!" Ty Lee says brightly, her eyes wide and glittering like a feral cat. Neither of them sound remotely tired, despite the sweat glistening on their skin and their racing hearts.

"My father made me─"

"For the love of Agni, Zuko and I are leaving! You two have fun," Mai interrupts loudly, not wanting to listen to another round of this. She grabs Zuko's arm and abandons them both.

Azula narrows her eyes.

Ty Lee grits her teeth and steadies her feet.

* * *

"Who do you think won?" Mai asks with a small yawn as she wakes up on the sofa. Her back hurts, but Zuko, who is cramped under her, is even more sore and crooked.

"I don't want to know. They're probably still going. Or maybe one of them is dead," Zuko sighs, rubbing his eyes and deciding he no longer cares.

Mai gets up off of Zuko and walks towards the living quarters. He cracks all of his bones with a noise that makes Mai gag, and they both feel both curious and terrified.

"It's like on my birthday, my parents would fill the downstairs with gifts, and I would just stay up all night, and then I would stop before I went downstairs because I felt kind of like I'd throw up," Mai whispers and Zuko can only shake his head. "That's how I feel right now."

"Ty Lee left. Fuck," Zuko remarks, shrugging. He genuinely does not care anymore, after everything he has done to try to control Azula. Ty Lee was his absolute best option, and it seemed like fate intended for her to do this when she decided to move back to the Fire Nation. But the Universe just _loves _messing with Fire Lord Zuko.

"And you paid her like a whole coin purse of gold pieces too. So... what now? Have we given up on Azula? Should we just set her free and see what happens?" Pause. Mai crosses her arms and a tiny smirk creeps onto her pale lips. "I like that idea."

"Mai, go in and talk to her," Zuko pleads, rubbing his head. It aches with a splitting migraine, somehow as painful as his bent limbs.

"Why me?" Mai is no longer enjoying the Azula and Zuko dance as much as she thought she would be.

"Because she likes you sometimes. And also she might not be wearing clothes."

"Okay," Mai says, simply wanting to get this over with and escape. She twists open Azula's door and shuts herself inside.

Zuko waits for several hearbeats, gazing at his bedroom longingly. What he would give to just go to sleep and wake up with all of his problems wiped away. Mai steps out like she has just been assaulted and Zuko says, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Ty Lee didn't leave."


	44. That Time Azula Skipped School

_(Theme Forty-Four) _**That Time Azula Skipped School**

_(As Prompted By) _**RollerYogaDisco**

Azula, Mai and Ty Lee stand in the hallway of the Ladies Academy.

The early morning is bright as summer longing is on the wind. Girls are shuffling to their classes and wishing they were in the nice weather instead of this grim grey and red building, stuffed into uncomfortable uniforms.

And Azula and Ty Lee have just expressed quite the proposition to Mai.

"I'm not doing this," Mai says instantly and her stony voice and stoic expression reveal she will not budge. "You guys can build your own pyres."

"Well, then Azula and I _will_," Ty Lee declares shrilly, and Azula does not mind Ty Lee being authoritative while Azula likes control. She is planning to use the excuse of skipping school to get closer to Ty Lee, and staying on her good side is the proper course of action in the strategy of romance. Mai being out of the way will work well for Azula.

"Go ahead. My parents will kill me," Mai says, sighing before walking away. Ty Lee opens her mouth to plead for Mai to come as well, but she leaves them behind.

"Her loss," Azula says sharply, grabbing Ty Lee by the wrist and walking out of the back door of the Ladies Academy before anyone notices them.

Azula already feels the tingling sensation of success. And the nauseating sensation of attempting a romantic endeavor with no experience or training. She has put a good deal of thought into strategy for today, but hypotheses and detailed plans may not fully apply to baiting a potential mate. Ty Lee has grabbed her hand, her fingers shaking, looking wildly in the moment and excited, yet pale and terrified.

"Why are you so scared?" Azula asks mockingly, although she is horrified. Her stomach feels like it is filled with flutter bats. "Come on. Let's change."

Azula slips into the ceremonial temple that is abandoned for most of the year save for important holidays. It is dark, dim and deserted; the perfect place to change your clothes and skip school for the day. It is purely exhilarating.

Zuko gets to travel the world searching for the Avatar; Azula can skip school with her crush.

"I'm so excited!" Ty Lee squeals, hopping out of her school leggings. Azula pulls her clothes out of her bag; the most ordinary ones she could find amongst her wardrobe.

She pauses, squinting at the portraits upon the altar to the royal family. With two motions of her hands, she turns all the faces to the wall and then slips her shirt over her head.

"Don't look," Azula orders regally and Ty Lee agrees, nodding for far too long.

Azula slides her way out of the black skirt and dark red leggings. There are runs in this pair that would get her a detention if she were not the Fire Lord's daughter.

"You're looking," Azula says, her eyes on the shining golden backs of the pictures of her grandfathers and father she turned around. Ty Lee makes a squeaking sound and her cheeks turn pink.

"I didn't, uh, mean to, princess." Ty Lee rubs her neck and Azula turns to face her.

Neither of them are wearing clothes and there is a momentarily glance, a brief appreciation, then a sudden panic that hits them almost simultaneously and they pull on their street clothes. So far, so good, Azula decides as she stuffs her uniform into her bag, turns back around the portraits as if she were never here, and they creep out of the back door.

"Where are we going?" Ty Lee asks, grabbing onto Azula again. She tries to forget the image burned in her retinas of the princess stripping her clothes off. It does not go away easily.

She's going through puberty, okay? Okay?

"I was thinking we could sneak to the Memorial Meadow and, well, we have no obligations. For a whole day, no one will tell us what we have to do," Azula says as they make it to the street and start walking. But Azula stops. "I have no idea where we are."

"Don't worry. I know how to get to the Meadow from here," Ty Lee says, realizing that Azula probably does not take much care in directions when she is carried everywhere.

They walk together, narrowly avoiding being noticed. The streets are busy, but also filled with soldiers and police officers, who would possibly take an interest in two twelve year old girls sneaking around Caldera. But, finally, they make it to Sozin Memorial Meadow, the wide park with statues, fire-lilies in bloom this month, and what feels like infinite freedom.

The two of them sit in the park together as the sun reaches its apex. They laugh, even Azula, living in this moment alone without regret. And Azula looks at Ty Lee, studying her delicate features and knowing if she is going to make a move right now. Ty Lee is trying to catch an elusive dragonfly-moth. Azula decides to be strong, like her ancestors.

And so Azula leans forward to kiss Ty Lee, for her first kiss. Her heart races as her lips aim for Ty Lee's lips, but collide with her nose. Azula pulls back, her cheeks the color of the Fire Nation flag. Ty Lee, stunned and ecstatic, moves to correct the kiss, but they both scream as they are seized by soldiers.

Azula skipped school and her father sent half of the military looking for her.

She thought she was embarrassed when she missed on her first kiss, but nothing can be this mortifying. _Nothing_.

"I'm taking it you weren't kidnapped, princess," says the voice of the man holding her elbow.

"I'm taking it you have better things to do than stopping kids from skipping school, Lieutenant General Jiang," Azula replies coldly as Ty Lee dodges handcuffs. "It must pain you to not be helping lead regiments in the Earth Kingdom. Or you, Master Sergeant Chan."

"Princess," Lieutenant General Jiang says, "the kidnapping of the sole heir to the Fire Nation is an important job that requires the best of the military accessible in the Fire Nation to address. Evidently, however, you have not been kidnapped."

Ty Lee dodges handcuffs again.

"Stop doing that to her," Azula snarls at the foot soldier and he drops the handcuffs to the grass and Master Sergeant Chan rubs his temples with a sigh of frustration.

"I'm sure your... _friend_'s parents are worried about her as well. I'll have her escorted home," Jiang continues and Azula grits her teeth to keep from making this worse.

People in the park have gathered to stare at the scene and Azula would rather accidentally kiss Ty Lee's nose a thousand times than have to deal with being slowly walked back to the palace with Lieutenant General Jang holding her elbow.

And the first thing father says is, "I sent everyone stationed in the Fire Nation looking for you. Do you know how much that costs me?"

"I was gone for four hours, father, with all due respect," Azula says as the officials escorting her bow and leave Azula in the throne room.

"You are a very smart girl. You didn't think people would notice that you had simply vanished from school? I had people combing everywhere a kidnapper could have taken you," Fire Lord Ozai says, dropping the flames around the throne low. "But I hear from your gloomy friend that your 'kidnapper' was your girlfriend."

"I am going to _kill her_," Azula says, mostly to herself as her fingertips smoke.

"Who is this _girlfriend_ of yours?" Ozai inquires slowly, but in a tone that makes Azula break out in goosebumps.

"She's not my girlfriend, father. I took her with me to try to impress her so she would go out with me," Azula says, realizing how ridiculous it was more and more with each word.

"Hm. Yes," is all she gets from Ozai. "I think you will be understanding when I tell you that you are not to leave the palace under pain of exile for the next... six weeks."

"You can't banish me. I'm your only heir," Azula says before touching her mouth with her fingernails. But her father allows it, as Azula kneels in hopes that will dull the blow of her out of line remark.

"I don't intend to banish you, as long as you obey me."

Azula's head shakes slightly, her rosy lips parted, at the sheer absurdity of her father's overreaction to her skipping school. But she bows and says, "I accept your punishment, father."

Hours later, Princess Azula is lying in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She has never been punished for anything since her mother left. People like _Mai _get grounded, not people like _Azula_.

Something hits her window and she gets up to burn alive whoever or whatever did it.

"Let me in," hisses a girl precariously perched on the windowsill.

"I am grounded, Ty Lee."

"Yeah, me too," Ty Lee replies with a careless laugh. "Please let me in."

Azula sighs, realizes her father cannot act upon his threat unless he has discovered the secret of immortality, and steps back to allow Ty Lee inside.

"I am too pretty to piss off my father," Azula breathes, examining her face in her reflection on the window as she closes it. She touches the area around her eye and frowns.

"I'll leave, princess. Don't worry," Ty Lee whispers, sitting down on Azula's bed. "Although this is kind of fun. You never break any rules."

"Because I am Crown Princess of the Fire Nation and if I broke rules I would not only shame myself, I would shame my entire Nation," Azula says coldly but Ty Lee does not seem to be listening.

"I just wanted to finish this," Ty Lee chirps before sitting up on her knees and pressing her lips against Azula's.

The kiss is worth it. Definitely worth it.


	45. Tyzula Aunts

_(Theme Forty-Five) _**Tyzula Aunts**

_(As Prompted By) _**FanfictionVillainess**

"Why are we doing this again?" Ty Lee asks, sipping her tea and setting it down for a servant to pick it up.

She is patiently watching Azula try and fail to tie four year old Izumi's shoe. It would be funny if Ty Lee were not growing increasingly concerned for her future children. Izumi is eating a bag of fire flakes and gazing intently at Azula trying to tie military knots and realizing that it does not work. Izumi has a tiny smirk on her lips and Ty Lee cannot look away.

It's like a shipwreck. A very slow, painful shipwreck.

"Because Zuko hasn't finished his will. And so help me, I will get everything. Or," Azula says with a dramatic pause, "at least his child."

"That's... terrible," Ty Lee replies slowly with a small grimace. "I'm pretty sure we get stuff in Mai's will. And, really, we only get Izumi if they both die at once."

"Or subsequently before she's old enough to care for herself," Azula replies airily and Ty Lee shrugs with a small bob of her head. "I want her."

"Mm. You could have your own child." Pause. Azula laughs as if it is a joke and Ty Lee frowns into her teacup. "We could kidnap her."

"Very funny. This is no time for jokes. If we don't act fast he'll give her to the Avatar and Water Tribe," Azula says, giving up on tying Izumi's shoe as Izumi carelessly continues eating her red bag of fire flakes. "Ty Lee, tie your niece's shoe."

"You can't tie shoes? How did you pass kindergarten?" Ty Lee mutters mostly to herself before kneeling and tying Izumi's shoes with ease. "There you go, Izumi."

"Thank you," the child says politely before pushing herself to her feet. "Where are we going?"

"We're kidnapping you," Azula says sweetly.

"Okay," Izumi replies and Ty Lee cocks an eyebrow with a shrug.

"Do you know what that is?" Azula asks, slightly baffled.

"No," Izumi replies as she drops the empty bag to the stone floor of the entry hall of the palace.

Ty Lee nods in approval at Azula. It could work at this point. Fugitives with a stolen child. It is a romance Ty Lee would be perfectly okay with living.

"Well, we're not actually kidnapping you today. I was kidding. We're going to Memorial Plaza," Azula says, deciding today is not the day to shock the world and betray everyone she has painstakingly gained the trust of.

"That's the fun one. We'll feed turtleducks and do... other things?" Izumi is slightly unclear about why adults keep taking her places.

First Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki took her to play with Hakoda at the cold, grey beach by the pier. Then Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara took her shopping and Aang bought her lots of gifts and showed her airbending tricks and Bumi pushed her onto her face. Then grandmother took her to play with her aunt and gave her tea with weird fruit in it. All of the adults are acting oddly, but Izumi has gotten lots of gifts and has had a really fun two weeks, so she is not complaining.

But Aunt Azula and Ty Lee have done those things with Izumi before. They are _much _more fun than Izumi's parents, which she does not hesitate to tell them. So she grabs both of their hands with her slightly greasy fingers and tugs them towards the door.

* * *

"Why are we looking at statues?" Izumi asks as Ty Lee's knees buckle while she climbs half onto her shoulders for a better look.

"Because they're your grandparents," Azula explains and Ty Lee whimpers.

"The statues... are not my grandparents, Auntzula," Izumi says, looking confused.

"I know that the... you know, never mind," Azula sighs. "We have to walk by them to get to the lake. Has your father told you about the men these statues are of?"

"Nope," Izumi replies as Ty Lee finally wrangles her and sets her on the ground.

"He is a terrible father, Ty Lee. We deserve her," Azula says and Izumi narrows her eyes in confusion. Adults keeping saying things similar to that, and Izumi is not quite sure what it means. "I will tell you all about your ancestry, Izumi. And I will tell you all of the important things about being Fire Lord."

"She's four," Ty Lee says with a roll of her eyes, but her wife is not listening. So she clears her throat and says, "Izumi is four years old, Azula. When I was four years old I'm pretty sure I was playing _the floor is lava _and eating dirt. Maybe Zuko wants her to have a childhood instead of immediately explaining the hierarchy of the Fire Nation."

"You ate dirt as a child?" Azula extracts from that statement instead of the important part. "Don't ever eat dirt, Izumi. You will die."

"I'll what?" Izumi asks, staring at the exposed dirt by the side of the stone path towards the lake. Her golden eyes bulge and Ty Lee sighs, adjusting Izumi in her arms again.

Ty Lee breathes to Izumi, "You won't die if you eat dirt. She's messing with you," and glares at Azula. "Don't ever believe anything she says."

"She said she's the only one I can trust," Izumi says brightly and Ty Lee wants to just curl up on the ground and go to sleep until this _Zuko's_ _will dispute _is over.

"That's right, niece. I am the only one you can trust forever. And also your mother. She's okay," Azula says, seizing Izumi's hand and pulling her away before Ty Lee can interfere. "You know how your father's friends call me Princess Trustworthy?"

"Mhm. Dad is Sparky."

"Yes. He is. They call me Princess Trustworthy because I'm the only one you can trust," Azula says as Ty Lee rolls her eyes so forceful she thinks they might just pop out.

"That makes sense," Izumi says, nodding. Ty Lee grits her teeth and decides that it can be Mai and Zuko's problem.

"You want me to tell you the story of the first female Fire Lord?" Azula offers and Izumi nods vigorously.

"My dad never has time to tell me about that stuff. He says I'll find out when I'm older," Izumi whines, tugging on Azula's arm for her to walk faster. "You always tell me cool stories."

"Thank you." Azula looks genuinely flattered and Ty Lee thinks it is cute. She is worrying less for her future children. "Alright, Princess Oren of the Fire Nation was powerful and wise. She had two cousins, younger than her, and their father was younger than hers, who was currently Fire Lord. She was a talented firebender and ─ well, that's not the only thing that matters, Izumi ─ well, she was talented, smart. And you know what she did most?"

"Fought vicious battles!" Izumi declares and Azula can only laugh. Ty Lee rolls her eyes; Mai is going to skin them alive.

"She read books," Azula says and Izumi looks mildly disappointed. "Don't underestimate the power of _knowledge_. People loved her dearly. The public all looked forward to the day when she would reign. But all of that changed when her father was on his deathbed."

"Mhm?" Izumi has eyes as wide as saucers.

"He was going to leave the throne to her younger cousin, because he was a man," Azula says and Izumi looks disgusted. "Right? Oren knew she needed to take action. So she ─"

"Azula, get down!" Ty Lee screams.

Azula grabs Izumi by the back of the neck like a kitten and hits the ground. Arrows. Seriously? Seriously?

"We'll finish the story later," Azula says, grabbing Izumi by the waist and holding her sideways. Her hair whips freely in the wind as Azula runs towards the lake.

Ty Lee takes down two assassins with only three punches. Azula sets Izumi behind a tree and climbs up it with a single move. Izumi's lips part in surprise as Azula stands on the branch and starts hitting the insurgents with fire and lightning.

"You don't move," Azula snaps as Izumi peeks around the corner.

"Sorry, Auntzula," Izumi says breathlessly, pinning her back to the tree.

It ends when the police arrive. Azula jumps down from the tree and grabs Izumi, who braces herself to be swung around sideways again, but instead Azula just guides her by the hand. Ty Lee is talking to the police officers as they begin shackling the assassins.

"That was such quick response time, officer," Azula snarls, pushing past Ty Lee. "What would happen if this child died? If she had been with _anyone _other than us, she would have been abducted, killed or worse. The _crown princess_."

Izumi does not understand much of what her aunt rants at the man, but he is crying by the end. Best trip to the park _ever_, Izumi decides.

"Don't tell your mom," Ty Lee sighs as they make it back to the palace unscathed.

"Okay," Izumi says, running inside. Azula and Ty Lee chase after her.

"Did anything horrible happen to my child?" Mai asks as Izumi runs into her arms. "Her heart is going into tachycardia. Did you tell her scary stories, Azula?"

"Mom, mom," Izumi interrupts as Azula and Ty Lee open their mouths, "There were these guys with arrows and fire and swords and stuff and they tried to kill us but we didn't die!"

"Did you... did my daughter just nearly get assassinated? I trust you two for _one day_ with my daughter..."

"I completely picked her up, hid her behind a tree and defended her life," Azula says casually, brushing off her shoulder.

Mai sighs and continues feeling Izumi's pulse. "Thank you, I guess. Unless you hired them. Did you hire a fake assassination attempt to try to get into me and Zuko's will?"

"Actually, that's a really good idea. Ty Lee, why did you not think of that?" Azula snaps and Ty Lee simply shrugs.

"They are the _coolest _people _ever_. Auntzula made a police officer cry," Izumi says, jumping from foot to foot. Mai laughs.

"Yeah, she likes making grown men cry. I'm glad you guys saved her life." Pause. "But you are so not getting her if me and Zuko die of a horrible accident. Given all of the people vying for her, we decided the best course of action was to leave it up to Aang if he is living, and after Aang, Toph. That's the plan. So, I guess, starting buttering them up."

"I still had fun," Azula says honestly, although quite disappointed that fending off an assassination attempt does not gain her godmother status.

"Tell me about Princess Fire Lord Oren," Izumi demands, breaking free of Mai and seizing Azula.

"I guess your playdate's not over," Mai says with a smirk as Azula is guided into the palace by Izumi's strangely powerful tugging.

Mai looks up at Ty Lee. "Was there actually an assassination attempt?"

"Yes. I really thought we'd just have a calming walk to the park, but, no. We get attacked. But, it's not even like the New Ozai Society is accomplishing anything. An assassination attempt is like, an everyday thing. It's kind of boring," Ty Lee says with a cavalier shrug.

"You know, I have to say, Azula is surprisingly good with Izumi."

"I want to have a child with her. Or two. Or five."

"Good luck," Mai says, laughing. She does not even bother to point out Ty Lee's hypocrisy, and simply asks, "Who's Princess Fire Lord Oren?"

Ty Lee only shrugs.


	46. Awkward Tent Sharing

_(Theme Forty-Six) _**Awkward Tent Sharing**

_(As Prompted By) _**GuitarBOSS**

Mai stares at the canvas tarp above her and seriously contemplates sleeping outside in the dirt. Or maybe she could commandeer one of the tents the multitude of soldiers accompanying them back from the failed drill attempt are sleeping in. That is always an option, instead of sleeping with Azula and Ty Lee in this cramped space, the level of sexual tension possible to cut with a knife.

What if they start touching each other? They _would_. They completely would. Mai thought she escaped this when Ozai called them back from chasing after Zuko to assault Ba Sing Se. If only they could travel all night and reach the ship they are taking back home...

Ty Lee bursts into the tent and Mai pretends to be asleep. But her pretend slumber is quickly interrupted by Ty Lee shaking her shoulders.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Mai announces, escaping Ty Lee's grip.

"She's super pissed," Ty Lee whispers as if Mai does not know. "She made War Minister Ching cry. I'm so scared right now. Let's make a break for it."

"It's not like it's our fault." Pause. "You know why I'm displeased about the sleeping arrangements?"

"Because I have never seen her this angry before ever?" Ty Lee breathes, glancing over her shoulder with her eyes wide. She looks kind of like a terrified flutter bat and Mai finds it mildly amusing.

"Because I completely noticed those longing, lustful gazes while you two were changing your clothes." Pause. "After dousing me in wall sludge juice... Azula hitting me with a rock was completely on purpose. But I digress. Please just have sex with each other and get it over with." Pause. "But, obviously not while we're sharing a tent. I don't think I could handle that."

"I was not gazing at her lustfully," Ty Lee snaps and Mai just shrugs. "It's not my fault that she looks really good with her clothes off. It's your fault that you can't appreciate it."

"This almost physically pains me. Another awkward night with your _hormones_," Mai groans as Ty Lee scowls and the tent rips open with a force that makes Mai and Ty Lee jump, hearts speeding up for a flicker of a second.

"I'm going to sleep," Azula declares regally, lying down without even getting into her sleeping bag. She does not look remotely well and Mai thinks perhaps she will be spared the discomfort of her two friends.

Mai manages to fall asleep despite the tensions in the camp. The failure at Ba Sing Se _was _humiliating, and likely they will all be punished.

But Mai flutters awake in the middle of the night, her eyes sore. Her nightmare was _horrible _and she moves to get up and find water. But she slowly lies back down, thankfully unnoticed. But she _is _thirsty; so thirsty she would cut off someone's finger for a glass of water.

This is the most awkward scenario of Mai's entire life. She lies very still, and looks only with her eyes at her friends knotted together. Their clothes are completely on, which Mai is glad of, but their lips are hooked together. With tongues. Ugh. Really? Tongues?

Mai closes her eyes and tries to ignore her crippling thirst. She is a soldier and she can handle it. Azula moans and Mai sits up quickly, and both of them jump apart like two cats fighting who have been caught by their owner.

"I'm going to go get water now," Mai says, bolting out of the tent wordlessly and not returning that night.

She does not think she will ever recover from this.

How far would this have gone _without _her waking up and interrupting them?

Mai just shivers and drinks a second cup of water.


	47. Classy Museum Thieves

_(Theme Forty-Seven) _**Classy ****Museum Thieves**

_(As prompted by) _**ILearneditatShakespeareCamp**

"Do we have to go to this?" Ty Lee whines as if she were a child. She bats her eyelashes and Azula averts her gilded eyes.

Azula hesitates. She is sitting on the window seat of her room, dressed elaborately and having spent the entire day being readied. Ty Lee was completely fine with being decorated by servants for seven hours, but when it comes time to put on her shoes and go out, she decides to anchor herself to their bed.

"It won't be bad. You keep telling me to leave the palace more," Azula says, turning up a palm. Ty Lee closes her eyes and sighs.

"I hate museums. They're boring and gross," Ty Lee replies and Azula shrugs.

Azula picks at her freshly polished fingernails and tries to think of a good way to get Ty Lee to budge. "Well, it's a One Hundred Year War museum. And we can go on a tour of all of the things that impacted our relationship. Like a soul mate tour, directed by the most charming curator in Fire Nation history. Me."

Ty Lee smiles and blushes light pink. Azula knows she has won and silently basks in victory.

"Alright. But only if you promise to do that instead of making me _talk _to _icky _people. Or learn anything. If I learn something, Azula, I will be forced to hurt you," Ty Lee says, pointing a finger directly at her wife.

"I will shield your eyes from anything educational. I promise," Azula says, standing up and touching her lips to Ty Lee's. "Now let's go get this over with."

Azula grabs Ty Lee's hand and pulls her off of the bed. Ty Lee slips into her shoes in one motion as they walk into the entrance hall of the palace. Of course, there is the Avatar and Water Tribe, and Zuko and Mai.

"Look, I am as unenthused as you are," Zuko is murmuring to Mai as Water Tribe is licking her thumb and rubbing dirt off of the Avatar's neck. Azula feels significantly less embarrassed about she and Ty Lee.

"I find that hard to believe, Zuko," Mai sighs, picking at her bra. It is new and digs into her ribs.

Zuko shrugs in response. "I think you may be surprised."

* * *

"We can escape. We're not locked in," Azula reassures Ty Lee, who keeps glancing at the door to the museum. "Stop looking so panicky. People are getting suspicious."

The museum is quite beautiful. Azula must admit it is well done, with tall windows that let the moonlight pour in, and ornate golden chandeliers that burn a dim orange shade. It is entirely packed with people in a sea of different colors, instead of the constant red Azula is used to. All Four Nations are present, if you include the Avatar, and it is a night meant to be historic.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Ty Lee sighs, breaking free of Azula and dancing through the crowd without colliding into anyone. Azula stares after her, silently cursing her for leaving her alone with Zuko and his friends.

"Katara, do you want to─?"

"No," Katara interrupts Zuko as soon as his golden eyes land on Azula. "No, I do not want to talk to your sister to make her feel less uncomfortable."

Zuko purses his lips, recoiling slightly. "Okay," he says softly, his eyebrows loosening after having shot up.

"I am going to get a glass of wine, seeing as Aang has gone... somewhere," Katara says before walking away.

"This place is terrible," Mai says, examining Zuko closely.

"I'm sure the renovated factory that's opening next week will be more interesting. Do you want to be my date?" Zuko offers, turning one palm up.

"I'm busy that night," Mai says and Zuko squints at her.

"With what?"

"Not wanting to go to it." Mai pats Zuko on the shoulder and disappears into the crowd.

Zuko glances at Azula and she stares at him for a moment. "I think we're on our own."

"Evidently," Azula says. "Let's go up those stairs before people try to talk to us."

Fire Lord Zuko pauses, knowing he _should _be somewhere where people can converse with him, but Aang seems to have it covered, so he nods sharply and he and Azula slink through the shadowy corners of the museum entrance hall and creep up the stairs.

"It's pretty nice up here," Zuko says, looking around. "Oh, hey, there's some of Ba Sing Se's wall."

Azula walks to it, stepping over a rope blocking off the museum itself. Of course the party is cramped into a room with only extravagant displays, and the actual bulk of the exhibits are closed off for the night. But 'closed off' and 'restricted' are words Zuko and Azula do not understand.

"That's nice," Azula says, walking up to the glass. "The Earth Kingdom let us have that?"

Zuko rubs his neck. "A Fire Nation soldier brought it home with him as a souvenir. I don't think if I got on my knees and _begged _the Earth King would let me have some of Ba Sing Se's wall for a museum."

"This is all boring. Where's the part about _me_?" Azula says, running a finger along the glass and leaving smudges. Zuko tries to rub some off with the sleeve of his formal clothes but does not manage.

Zuko follows her through the freshly constructed and painted halls of the museum, knowing he should not be doing this, and then hears her say, "This, this is interesting."

"You found the part about you?" Zuko asks, catching up to her. They are on a balcony above a square room below with a tundra tank on a platform, aesthetically positioned.

"No. Our girlfriends," Azula whispers, pointing down below. "And your friends."

"So, we've moved on from exploring the museum we're supposed to be hosting the opening of, to eavesdropping. Are we five?"

Azula just shrugs and sits down with one hand wrapped around the bars of the balcony. Zuko stands beside her, leaning off of the side. If she pushes him...

"Who's he?" Azula jabs Zuko and he barely contains a yelp.

"War Minister Tao," Zuko replies, squinting.

Downstairs, unaware of Zuko and Azula above, Mai is moments away from just simply ending it. Not the party: her life. This is terrible. When she used to make lists of why she promised never to get back together with Zuko, the top of the list was, _social events_.

She evades another conversation and walks to Ty Lee, who is locked in dialogue with War Minister Tao. Might as well be called Peace Minister Tao because his job mainly consists of war reparations and stopping people from doing warlike things. It casually disgusts Mai.

"... I wish I could just hire you to follow me around all day," Ty Lee is crooning and Mai suppresses a sigh.

"I would throw away my years of political training to do that for you," War Minister Tao says and Mai's eyes flutter with the sheer cringeworthyness. "It would be any man's dream job to follow you everywhere and give you compliments all day. And you look almost as lovely from behind as in front."

"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself." Ty Lee touches his arm and something hits her back. "Ouch."

"What is it?" War Minister Tao asks, looking as if he can be a hero.

"Something hit me," Ty Lee says, rubbing her neck. "Ouch. Mai, did you see what hit me?"

"No," Mai says, remembering fondly her first date with Zuko. He made her look all over him because he thought there was a spider-fly on him. There was not. She pretended to flick one off of him so she would not have to deal with the awkward moment.

"I have to go. It will be my pleasure to see you aga─_ouch_." He drops Ty Lee's hand, which he was about to kiss, as something has just hit the side of his face. It smarts wickedly, and he excuses himself. Clearly one of the chandeliers is crumbling, or the ceiling is about to fall down. The Fire Nation is good at building things quickly, but with low quality.

"Mai, help. Is the ceiling breaking?" Ty Lee whispers, glancing around wildly. "Hot wax from those candles?"

Mai looks up, searching for the dripping candle, and then her eyes fall on Zuko. "Come on."

Ty Lee is seized by the arm and dragged out of the small room. And Ty Lee says, "Mai, we're not allowed to be back here," as she is guided up a dusty set of closed off stairs and up to the museum.

"Boo," Mai says as she and Ty Lee reach the room directly above the one they were hiding from the Avatar and his friends in.

Zuko barely catches himself with a hand of fire. "You could've killed me."

"I didn't," Mai replies with a shrug.

Azula stands up. "How did you find us?" she inquires, walking to Ty Lee and kissing her. Zuko stops short of kissing Mai; he does not think she will take kindly to it.

"I followed the little pieces of rock hitting Ty Lee and the guy flirting with her."

"I don't see any little pieces of rock, Mai," Azula purrs, Ty Lee holding her hand tightly. "Perhaps those candles are melting."

She pointedly kicks a crumbling piece of Ba Sing Se's wall off the side of the balcony while Ty Lee is distracted by ruby jewelry in a case.

"Of course," Mai replies flatly, not wanting to get into this. The level of fucks she gives about this party is monumentally low. And she gives even less about Azula's jealous guarding of Ty Lee.

They wander down the halls, glancing into all of the displays.

Mai stops at the small Kyoshi Warrior exhibit. "Those fans are actually bladed on the inside. I still have the ones I picked out of the useless fan part."

"You should probably return them," mumbles Zuko but Mai ignores him.

"Wait, they're bladed?" Ty Lee exclaims before pressing her nose against the glass. Her doey brown eyes reflect with the green images of the warriors. "I never noticed that."

"You were a Kyoshi Warrior for almost ten years," Mai breathes, cocking an eyebrow. "They never told you?"

"Hmm. They might have. I don't always pay attention so well." Ty Lee squints, still unable to see the blades. Ty Lee moves on to the next exhibit. "Waaaait."

"What?" Azula asks, looking up from her examination of an Earth Kingdom weapon she is debating liberating from the case.

"This whole section is about when we conquered Ba Sing Se."

"Sometimes I worry about you," Azula says, feigning an expression of concern. Ty Lee glares at her. "It has been for the past five minutes. I like this museum, Zuko. It portrays me in a really flattering light. Now give me that sword. I want it."

"I don't have the power to give you that sword," Zuko says earnestly. Even as Fire Lord he has his limits.

"You are _Fire Lord_. You can do whatever you want," Azula sighs, wanting to claw her own face off. Zuko's abiding by rules and refusing to abuse power sickens her.

"Here," Ty Lee says blithely. The hilt of a sword is thrust into Azula's hands and Zuko sighs.

"Okay, this party just got so much more interesting," Mai says honestly, her eyes lighting up. "Are we museum thieves now? That's classy. Zuko, get me that painting. I want to hang it in my house to commemorate my noble conquest of the Earth Kingdom."

"No," Zuko says forcefully and Mai grits her teeth. Azula laughs before her lips are occupied by her girlfriend.

"Ty Lee got Azula that sword. Get me that painting. This is exactly like that carnival where you said you would get me a million stuffed animals and you got me _no _stuffed animals. I want that painting. Or at least that fan. The old blades are getting dull."

"I will get you a million Kyoshi Warrior fans, Mai. I promise. That I can legally do," Zuko says and Mai narrows her eyes.

"I want a billion."

"That... would be ridiculous."

"Two million."

"Okay, okay."

Ty Lee interrupts, "Azula, now I want that fan."

"Hm," Azula says, contemplating it.

"Azula. I want it so Mai and Zuko can't have it," Ty Lee says as she crosses her arms. "You promised me a romance tour, and where did we lose our virginity? It was two nights before the coup and there was a thunderstorm and I crawled into your bed all scared and─"

Mai snickers as Azula fiercely interrupts, "If you do not tell that story to my brother, I will get you that fan."

She walks over to the case and slides the sword into the free space and starts to pry it open.

"That's impressive thievery. Where did you learn that?" Mai asks as Zuko is trying to erase the image of his sister losing her virginity from his mind. "Also, Zuko, you're letting them win. Start stealing. They're already two priceless artifacts ahead of us."

"I am not going to start stealing. I have an image of myself I have to portray," Zuko says, rubbing his temples. This is slowly becoming the worst party in the history of terrible parties, and Zuko must have been to a hundred.

Azula grabs the fan and welds shut the glass as if it were never opened with a fingertip of cerulean fire. Ty Lee holds her hand out and Azula gives it to her.

"Mai is right," Azula says, swinging her sword and stopping it just short of Zuko, who does not even flinch. "This is exactly like that carnival. Ty Lee and I are the superior couple. Watch as we expertly pull off a museum heist. And you two can make nice with dignitaries."

Ty Lee grabs Azula's hand and they disappear into a museum.

Mai shrugs and says, "Can you use the insanity defense for theft, Zuko?"

"I heard that!" Azula shouts, and then she and Ty Lee are gone.

Zuko glances at another wall chunk, this one with names signed on it. It has nothing but red rope around it, and Zuko picks it up and hands it to Mai.

"Oh, wow, Zuko," Mai says flatly and he rolls his eyes. "Azula got a priceless sword. I get a rock. Maybe I'll name it and put it on a leash."

"I try," Zuko says and Mai melts ever so slightly.

"I know. I would rather drown myself than date Azula or Ty Lee. I hope you know that." She pecks him on the cheek and he blushes like they are still teenagers and not in their twenties.

* * *

As the sun has nearly risen and everyone is home from the painful gala, Azula is swinging her sword in the ways she has seen Zuko do it, not that she would admit that. And Ty Lee is half asleep on the sofa. Both of them are in the living quarters and both still abuzz from their miniature heist.

"I could learn to swordfight," Azula says, still playing with her stolen goods. Ty Lee fans herself dramatically as she was not allowed to do on Kyoshi Island. "I'm pretty good right now."

"You're going to chop one of your appendages off." Ty Lee yawns.

Zuko stumbles in and Ty Lee croons, "Ooooo. Who just came home from his girlfriend's house?"

"Not me," Zuko says and Ty Lee scowls. "I had to help the Avatar track down stolen items from the gala. We decided to write them off and that we have more important things to do."

"Swordfight me," Azula says, completely missing her brother's chastising of her. "Right now."

"You will die," Zuko replies and Azula steps forward.

"That's talent," she says with a swing, "that's grace," she adds with a dramatic move she has seen in displays in the Royal Plaza, "that's naturally gifted," and she swings it at Zuko, who takes two steps out of the way.

"That's my girlfriend," Ty Lee sighs, fanning herself and tilting her head at Zuko.


	48. Nights in White Satin

_(Theme Forty-Eight) _**"Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues**

_(As prompted by_) **HeavenBesideYou13**

"What is it?" Ty Lee asks, pushing open the door and instantly seeing that something is off about Azula. She is holding something up to the light of the window, the blazing sun shining in her raven hair and illuminating the contours of her concerned expression.

Azula shrugs and sets down the piece of paper. She stares at it for a moment and Ty Lee wishes she were better at reading this kind of situation.

"I got a letter," Azula says finally, shrugging. _That_ is an evident half-truth.

"From who?" Ty Lee asks, genuinely surprised. She cannot think of anyone who _would _write to Azula.

"Why is that so surprising?" Azula snaps and Ty Lee recoils. "I have friends. I have lots of friends. Don't interfere."

Azula seizes the envelope and escapes, but the letter flutters to the floor behind her without her noticing. Ty Lee watches the door slam as she chokes on words she cannot form. She looks down at the letter on the cold stone floor and picks it up.

She reads it slowly and realizes who it is from. And how belated it is.

It is from Azula's father. After years of ignoring her once she was of no use to him, he decides... Ty Lee does not know what he decides but it angers her. And now the Azula she has carefully built is going to crash until she can be slowly built up again.

Ty Lee moves to crumple it but changes her mind. She just folds it into little pieces and sets it on Azula's vanity table.

She wrote Azula so many letters that she never sent. Maybe she never meant to send them. It was when Azula was in the asylum and Ty Lee was too afraid to visit her, and instead wrote her feelings over and over again and crossed them out. She kept them in a small locked box and lied to say they were to an old boyfriend.

No one could understand her feelings for Azula. And no one could understand what Ty Lee would go through, and has gone through for her. Most of all, no one can understand the magnitude of what Azula goes through. Every day. To the point where her personality is consumed by illness and it is unclear where Azula ends and the tortured soul begins.

But Ty Lee loves her. Oh, how she loves her.

And so she tracks her down. She slips through the palace as quickly as she can, looking to find Azula's usual place. It requires climbing out of a window and onto the roof, and, luckily, Azula is there. She is staring out at the city of Caldera, the city she refuses to go into because the whispers bother her and she sees no point.

"I read the letter," Ty Lee says bluntly, although she did not intend to lead in with that..

"It's not the first he's sent," Azula replies and Ty Lee is shocked at her honesty. And slightly angry that Azula never told her. "He started a year ago or so. I don't believe any of it."

Ty Lee sits on the roof with her lips pursed, the ash laced wind billowing through her hair. She fidgets and looks at how perfectly still Azula sits. The princess looks magnificent in the sunlight, even when her eyes are somewhere very far away.

"He loves you."

"Don't act like you understand," Azula snaps fiercely. Ty Lee rubs her lips together and averts her eyes. "You don't. No one does. If I thought people would understand I wouldn't have a stack of letters from a war criminal stuffed in my fucking underwear drawer."

"I'm sorry," Ty Lee says softly, rubbing her neck. She makes a slight, pained whimper and Azula feels a twinge of alien guilt. "I try to understand."

Azula takes a deep breath. "You understand more than most people. Don't think I don't appreciate everything you've done for me. I'm not exactly the best at expressing my feelings unless I'm also smashing things."

Ty Lee smiles faintly. Azula has a flicker of a smirk that disappears from her face as she squints at the shreds of clouds in the bright blue sky.

"I wrote a lot of letters to you," Ty Lee says and Azula turns to face her. "I never sent them or I think ever planned on sending them. And I kept writing them and writing them. First I wanted to send them to you in the asylum, then you were just I don't know where and so I definitely wasn't sending those ones. They kinda all said the same thing."

"What?" Azula laughs mirthlessly. She seems both amused and detached and Ty Lee does not know what to make of it.

"A lot of things. Sometimes really angry and other times just missing you and other times letters about things that happened to me or how my day was that I bet you would have burned from boredom if you read them." Pause. "They all can be summed up with, uh, well... I love you. I guess I love you."

It is the first 'I love you' that isn't Ty Lee clinging to Azula as she cries. It is the first told out in the open, even if they are tens of feet above the ground and far away from any other people to overhear.

"I'm glad you didn't send them," is Azula's response, which she immediately regrets. But she does not know what else to say.

"I saved most of them," Ty Lee says softly and Azula studies her for a moment. "When I told you I loved you when we were teenagers, you just said you couldn't say it back without lying."

"Honestly, most of the time I'm not quite sure what the truth even is." Azula shrugs. "I..." She cringes and Ty Lee does not know what to do. "I love you. But honestly I don't know where this is going and it probably isn't going anywhere good for either of us."

Ty Lee pauses. Azula waits for her to make an excuse to leave. She already regrets admitting her feelings, which she planned to never do even if she was being ripped limb from limb.

"I think that, eventually, whatever you want to be, you are in the end," Ty Lee says and Azula rolls her eyes.

"Your optimism disgusts me."

Azula crawls across the roof and presses her lips to Ty Lee's.

_Oh, how I love you._


	49. Sparrowkeet

_(Theme Forty-Nine) _**Sparrowkeet**

_(As prompted by) _**Oh You in that Dress**

"Azula," says Ty Lee softly, her voice careful and girlish. Azula already does not like where this is going, "I would've gone to Zuko about this, but I would _so _rather go to you."

Azula crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. Ty Lee has invited her out to a cute little teashop in Caldera. The princess agreed reluctantly to go see her; she knows she has to act as if she is not hurt. Because six months ago, Ty Lee broke up with her over the petty reason that Azula cannot leave the Fire Nation. Well, Azula is sorry that her legal restrictions are such an inconvenience.

But if she did not agree, Ty Lee would think that Azula actually _cared _that they broke up. And of course she does not. Why would she care? She can have anyone she wants and it is not as if Ty Lee _means _anything to her. Despite her glittering eyes that Azula is engrossed in, her kissable coral pink lips. No, no, Azula will resist.

"Well, spit it out," Azula replies, sipping her tea. She does not like it but she does not bother causing a ruckus about it.

"I'm trying to start a business. Here ─ in the Fire Nation," Ty Lee says blithely, completely oblivious to Azula's clenched jaw and narrowed golden eyes.

"I thought you wanted to travel the world," Azula purrs, trying to sound mocking but just sounding _wounded_. Ugh.

Ty Lee stirs her tea. "I did. It was really fun. I'd love to tell you about it, but, uh, I think you might get bored. Anyway, now I want to settle down. I know that I'm not the most trustworthy person for a business, so I managed to convince Mai to be an investor and partner. Because she's, uh, smart and has money."

"Then why do you need me?" Azula asks coldly and Ty Lee looks uncomfortable for a moment.

"I just, well, I wanted the endorsement of the royal family," she says and Azula crosses her arm. The princess does not know why she agreed to come here.

"Mai should've gone to Zuko. At least she didn't break up with him," Azula replies airily and Ty Lee purses her lips, her cheeks flushing light pink.

"Please don't make this about us."

"I _have _to, Ty Lee. You can't just ask me for favors after casting me aside so easily." Azula stands up, leaving, wondering why she even bothered to come. Ty Lee's lip trembles, and she decides to simply take Azula's advice and ask Mai to go to Zuko.

But Azula reaches Mai first.

She stands in Mai's apartment, her arms crossed. Mai already knows what is coming. Ty Lee and Azula never bothered to keep Mai out of their squabbles. And, Agni, have there been squabbles over the years. Making matters worse, Mai is a swing vote in most of her relationships, between Zuko and Azula, Azula and Ty Lee, hmm, maybe just her relationships involving Azula...

"I need you to put a stop to this nonsense," Azula snaps, crossing her arms.

Mai frowns. "Okay, you do realize that she's going to start her business, settle in and then decide to date you. Or I mean at least fuck you a couple of times."

"I'm livid, Mai," Azula says in a deadpan, although her eyes are on fire. "She has the nerve to break up with me because I'm not legally allowed to leave the Fire Nation, and _then _she just decides to move back here? What's her business, anyway? Hooking up with tacky assholes?"

Mai chuckles and then shakes her head. "So much more Ty Lee. A daycare for pets."

"A... daycare for... pets? That's the most useless thing I've ever heard of," Azula snaps, waving her hand around wildly. She might take an eye out with one of her nails.

"She saw those ones in Ba Sing Se, apparently. Azula, there are a lot of rich people with pets in Caldera. I think it could be pretty successful. Or I wouldn't have invested in it," Mai remarks with a shrug and Azula inhales as if she is about to breathe fire.

"I think it's ludicrous." Silence. "And she _asks _for my royal endorsement?"

Mai cocks an eyebrow. "That's not what she told me she was inviting you out for."

"Hmph?" Azula is baffled. Ty Lee does not seem smart enough to come up with a lie so quickly.

"She wanted to ask you to be her business partner. Guess something made her back out at the last minute. If she wanted an endorsement, I would've gone to Zuko," Mai explains and Azula is stunned. She did not think of that. She could not think of Ty Lee wanting anything but to _use _Azula.

"She wanted to run an animal daycare with me?" Azula asks slowly, the words difficult to form. Mai just nods. "Hmph." And now Azula is confused. It was easier just to be blindly angry at Ty Lee.

"I think you two would be adorable pet parents. And I don't ever say adorable, or pet parents for that matter," Mai replies and Azula sighs.

"Well now I feel like a jerk. Ugh." Azula rolls her eyes. "Ugh. I'll see you later."

"Thanks for stopping by," Mai sighs as Azula is gone. She genuinely never shows up unless she needs something. Like... most people for that matter.

* * *

"Zuko," Azula says, throwing open the doors to the throne room, "I know you like baby animals, so you won't like this but─"

"Not a good lead in. Really not," Zuko interrupts, almost cringing at the baby animals part.

Azula grits her teeth. "I don't have time for your teasing. Mai is going to come here and ask for your royal endorsement. I do not want you to give it to her. Please do this for me."

"I...? Endorsement for what?"

"A pet daycare. Don't do it!" Azula points one finger accusingly at him and leaves without explanation.

Zuko is not sure what to make of that. But Mai does not come to ask for the endorsement. Ty Lee does.

"So, uh, animal daycare? Do you have a real business plan?" Zuko asks, stepping down from the throne and sitting beside her at a table. She opens a scroll of the objectives and details she filled out with Mai's help. Or, well, that Mai filled out and Ty Lee took credit for.

"Yeah. I do. I really want to do it. I mean, my soldier years have been fun, but I think it'll be nice to just settle down and open a weird business. And I promise I won't go broke or do anything dumb because Mai has a tight leash on me," Ty Lee says with a small smile.

Zuko swallows. "Azula told me not to give you the royal endorsement."

Ty Lee frowns. "I originally was going to open this in Ba Sing Se."

"What?"

"Yeah. It's popular there. I'd probably do better. But I thought, if I'm settling down, I want to..." Ty Lee clenches and unclenches her fists. The words are hard. "I wanted to settle down with her. I kinda tested the waters to see if she was still pissed without putting my heart out there for her to stab. She's still pissed."

Ty Lee frowns. Zuko does not know what to say.

Zuko says quietly, "She's still in love with you. I'm giving you the endorsement under one condition. You tell my sister how you feel instead of keeping playing these games with her."

Ty Lee nods feverishly.

* * *

A week after Zuko gives the endorsement, Ty Lee arrives in the palace clutching an expensive birdcage. Inside is a sparrowkeet that is eyeing Azula with great interest, as if she is the strangest thing it has ever seen. Azula looks at Ty Lee and closes the book she is writing in. Her heart warms a little when she sees her... no, it _implodes _when she sees her.

But Ty Lee is not interested. And Azula refuses to be interested either.

"What?" Azula asks. "My brother is in the other room, seeing as you probably fucked him for that endorsement."

Ty Lee takes a deep breath. "Azula, I want to tell you that I love you. And that I came home to the Fire Nation to be with you, as silly as that is."

"It's less silly than opening a daycare for baby animals." Azula is glad words came to her lips because her mind has gone blank. She did not imagine the feelings still existed. That they are reciprocated makes her so happy. But she takes great care not to show it on her face.

"I got you a pet," Ty Lee says sweetly, gesturing at the sparrowkeet. It makes a loud sound in assent and Azula cocks an eyebrow, baffled by the creature. "It's a sparrowkeet. I named him Emerald."

"Oh no, no, no," Azula says sharply and Ty Lee's eyes flicker wide. She worries that she misread Azula entirely. "Emerald is a _horrible _name for him. I'm calling him Zuko. Hm, ZuZu."

Ty Lee grins. And then she knows she must ask. She has to ask Azula to settle down with her. "I was thinking we could be pet parents together."

So far so good. Azula taps her lip in fake contemplation. Ty Lee fidgets nervously as Azula draws it out.

"I suppose in this world raising a pet on my own would be ridiculous. Sparrowkeets definitely need nice, two parent households," Azula purrs and Ty Lee smiles even wider. "Let's be pet parents together."

Azula kisses Ty Lee on the lips.

Finally.


	50. Wedding Part I

_(Theme Fifty) _**Wedding Part I**

_(As Prompted By) _**BabydollEyelashes**

Zuko is mildly annoyed. His family keeps secrets. Lots of them. So he understands that Azula has plenty, and he likely does not _want _to come face to face with most of his sister's skeletons in the closet. But hiding an _engagement_? Now that is annoying.

He finds out when he finds the receipt for an engagement ring, and then when he digs slightly further, the fact that Azula has been in contact with Fire Sages, and a variety of other small purchases that he would not have noticed if he were not looking for Azula spending his money without asking.

She is engaged. And he _knows _who she is engaged to.

And how would Ty Lee not be telling _everyone_ at this point?

He is baffled, frustrated, and conniving. All because he sees the ring on Ty Lee's hand at a banquet for the construction of a monument park dedicated to the cultures of all four nations in the Fire Nation, in place of a factory district.

"So, Ty Lee, is that an engagement ring?" Zuko asks, leaning towards her. She squints at him for a moment before her glittering eyes flash wide with panic.

"It's my grandmother's!" Ty Lee exclaims, clearly caught in a lie. Zuko contemplates prying further, or exposing her openly, but he decides he has a better plan.

And so, he slips out during a speech by Aang and grabs Mai by the arm.

"Mai," Zuko says and she knows that face. She does not like that face. "I want to throw a surprise wedding for my sister and Ty Lee."

"Azula hates surprises." Mai hopes she has been saved. A surprise wedding is not what _anybody _needs.

"She'll like this one. I need you, because no one knows either of them like you," Zuko says sweetly and Mai almost admires his kindness. But, in all honesty, it somewhat sickens her.

"Surprise birthday parties, baby showers, bachelorette parties, are all appropriate. Surprise weddings for other people are... not. I have to ask why you're doing this," Mai says flatly, turning up a palm and narrowing her eyes slightly. Zuko realizes she will need a push if he is going to get her in on this.

"Because they're engaged," Zuko says sharply and Mai suddenly understands.

"It's revenge because they still haven't told you that they're engaged after a year, isn't it?" she sighs, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"Uh..." Pause. "Wait? How did you know?"

Mai decides not to answer that question and simply says, "If it is, I am so on board."

"Okay, it's that then. It needs to be really nice and has to do with their relationship and it has to be really classy," Zuko says, trying to envision the wedding. "I bet I can get Aang and Katara in on it. This is exactly their kind of things."

"You never struck me as the sentimental type," Mai says, already regretting this idea.

"Well, I'm not. But tonight is perfect for it," Zuko replies and Mai's amber eyes flash.

"Wait? Tonight. Tonight tonight?"

"Yes. I'm going to go get Katara." Zuko is gone before Mai can interrupt.

Sweet Agni. Mai rolls her eyes.

* * *

Azula is sitting and acting as disinterested in the speeches as possible when Mai grabs her by the back of the neck. Her hands light up bright blue before she sees it is her friend and her heart rate slows.

"You terrified me! I nearly destroyed this entire building," Azula snarls as Mai starts pulling on her. She is yanked into the hall that Zuko was moments ago telling Mai his plan in.

"Zuko is throwing a surprise wedding for you tonight. Play along," Mai says sharply. "And don't tell him I told you."

Azula looks uncomfortable, and not in the way Mai imagined she would.

"Mai, this may be problematic, and not just because I have no desire to be surprise wed by my overbearing brother in a _Four Nations _park," Azula says slowly as Mai realizes this may be worse than she imagined. And she imagined it as pretty bad. "Ty Lee and I are already married."

"Well, that makes things more interesting," Mai sighs.

_To Be Continued . . ._


	51. Wedding Part II

_(Theme Fifty-One) _**Wedding Part II**

_(As Prompted By) _**BabydollEyelashes**

"I don't find this as exciting as I think you think I do," is the first thing Katara says when Zuko proposes the surprise wedding to her. Zuko can only shrug to that.

"I find it exciting," Aang remarks earnestly and Zuko smiles at him.

"Me too. She's going to love it," Zuko says and Katara makes a hmming noise in the back of her throat. "What?"

"I think she's going to hate it," Katara says dryly and Zuko sighs.

"Please play along. It'll be great." Zuko attempts to reassure her, but she does not seem very reassured. Still, Katara crosses her arms, nods and agrees to help Zuko execute this ridiculous plan of giving Azula a surprise wedding.

Meanwhile, Azula is yanking Ty Lee down a hallway as the acrobat demands confused questions. This is an incredible mess and Azula is about to have an nervous breakdown as she tries to escape the building and get out amongst the trees and flowers.

They finally make it outside into the hot, humid night. The damp grass brushes against Ty Lee's bare ankles as she stops asking Azula where they are going and crosses her arms. Party guests walk around, in and out of the smooth stone building Zuko and Aang had constructed. And couples are outside clinging to each other.

"My brother is going to surprise marry us," Azula says softly and Ty Lee squints at her, looking confused. "He thinks we're engaged and haven't told him."

"A surprise wedding seems kind of inappropriate and ridiculous," Ty Lee says quietly. "Hm. So, I believe you."

"Why would I lie to you about something this serious?" Azula demands in a frantic whisper. Ty Lee starts giggling and Azula's eyebrow twitches. "What is it? Why are you laughing?"

"Because it's kind of ridiculous. Let's just let him do it," Ty Lee says as soon as she silences her shaking shoulders. "Why does it matter so much?" Pause. "Wait... are you embarrassed to be married to me? Are you?"

"No," Azula snaps but Ty Lee has a look in her eyes that Azula is well aware is bad news. "I'm not embarrassed to be married to you."

"You are, aren't you?" Ty Lee says sharply, crossing her arms. "Alright, I'm done. This party sucks anyway!"

"I married you because I love you," Azula says quietly, her cheeks flushing light red. Ty Lee narrows her smoldering eyes. "And if you want, I will tell everyone. But not on my brother's terms."

"So, look at this from my perspective. Either you are embarrassed to be married to me, _or _you value your rivalry with Zuko more than our relationship. Those are the two options," Ty Lee says, her words laced with venom. Azula swallows, her mouth suddenly very dry.

"Yes... they are, aren't they?"

"You're not doing a very good job of defending yourself," Ty Lee says. "You promised you would tell people by now."

"But isn't it fun to have a secret?" Azula offers, but it is far too late. "The benefit of nobody knowing is─"

"The benefit of nobody knowing is that when I divorce you, you saved yourself a lot of humiliation!" Ty Lee screams and necks snap towards them.

Azula wants to fade into the fabric of time. People are already staring as Ty Lee storms away with the subtlety of the Ember Island Players. And then they stare even harder.

This unfortunate situation has just become significantly more unfortunate. Azula contemplates following her, but instead turns on her heel and returns to the stuffy party. She passes a variety of familiar faces that she does not bother to address as she seizes Mai's elbow from behind and pulls her into an alcove in the wall.

Mai tears her arm away and opens her mouth to ask, but Azula's voice comes out, saying sharply, "I think she just broke up with me. I'm incredibly confused and Zuko cannot follow through with this wedding."

"She just broke up with you? I thought you were married. Azula, what is happening?" Mai demands, silently cursing Zuko and his ridiculous shenanigans.

"I think she's divorcing me. Or something. Because I don't want anyone to know that we're married."

"Ugh. You are awful but that is a new level of awful. She's not that embarrassing," Mai says, looking utterly disgusted.

"I'm not embarrassed to be married to her. We just kept it a secret because we kind of have gotten engaged at least ten times and then broken it off, so logically we just kept it quiet. Then it was kind of exciting to elope and have everybody not know. But I promised we would tell people eventually and have a coronation and all sorts of things that haven't happened yet," Azula says quickly, the words tumbling from her lips beyond her control.

"You got engaged at least ten times?" is what Mai extracts from it.

"Yes. Starting from age fourteen. It never works out very well."

"We have to tell Zuko before he starts this wedding," Mai says, ignoring this sudden revelation.

"No. I think I can win her back before it starts," Azula suggests and Mai rolls her eyes. "I mean, this surprise wedding is a perfect way to cover up the fact that we've been secretly married. It means no one has to confess their lies. We have go find her. Hurry!"

"I didn't say I was going to help you. Why do you just _assume _I'm going to help you?" Mai sighs, but Azula is already walking towards the exit.

Mai follows her, rolling her amber eyes.

Meanwhile, Zuko, Katara and Aang are planning a wedding.

"Okay, I already talked to the Fire Sages. We're good," Zuko says proudly as Aang is scrutinizing a dress. The Avatar seems into the wedding and excited; Zuko knew he would jump on board about helping Azula.

Katara, however, has a protest. "You realize you just want to catch her publicly in a lie," she says, picking up the red and charcoal colored veil.

Aang freezes and looks at Zuko. The Fire Lord turns red and Katara cocks an eyebrow.

"That's not true. I want to give her this wedding because she and Ty Lee deserve it."

"Deserve it for what?" Katara taps her fingers on her elbow.

"Ty Lee left the Kyoshi Warriors for her. And Azula has not tried to kill anyone in like two years," Zuko says and Aang resumes his work. Katara purses her lips and Zuko realizes he is not going to win with her. She sees right through him.

"You know what, I don't like her. I kind of look forward to her expression when you announce this," Katara says with a shrug.

"Then go get the marriage certificates," Zuko orders and Katara narrows her cobalt eyes at him. "Please."

"Better." Katara leaves into the dripping wet and sweltering hot night.

As Aang and Zuko prepare the wedding and Katara goes to find marriage certificates, Azula and Mai are searching for Ty Lee. Mai has torn off her stockings and heels and is walking barefoot as Azula clings to her sweaty hand as if she will run away.

"She's definitely not at her house," Mai says and Azula nods once. "Probably not at the palace if she's so sure she's divorcing you. Wait... isn't it illegal for you to get divorced?"

"My parents aren't married anymore." Azula shrugs.

"I think that's... complicated. Azula, she loves you enough to suffer through your unbearable presence for decades. Maybe this is a good thing, seeing as you won't be publicly humiliated by Zuko if Ty Lee isn't even there," Mai says in utter exasperation.

"What should I say when I find her?"

"Do I strike you as particularly romantic?" Mai is, of course, ignored. "What did you say to get her to marry you in the first place?"

"Pretty words. And very expensive jewelry," Azula says earnestly and Mai just shrugs. "Look, Zuko is playing right into my hands with this surprise wedding. He has no idea but he absolutely is. It's perfect."

"Don't tell her _that_," Mai says as they stop to catch their breath on a twisted steel bridge. "Zuko is doing this to one up you, and you're doing it to one up Zuko. Your competition is kind of depressing. This is almost as painful as the time you had me verify paint chips with the carpenters to prove that it was fire blossom red and not ruby red."

"I won!" Azula says and Mai rolls her eyes. All the princess seems to do these days is miss the point. No... that has been her style for years. "I do love her."

"I know," Mai says before realizing she should say something more encouraging. Azula very rarely expresses attachment or emotion, and this is a significant step forward for her. "Why didn't you two tell me that you were married? It's not like I have any other friends to tell. Ty Lee is terrible at secrets too..."

"She's terrible at keeping _your _secrets," Azula replies with a small smirk. "Where is she? How could she have gotten so far?"

"Let's try Sozin Memorial Plaza. It's one of her crying spots."

"And one of her hitting on boys spots! Run," Azula says, her eyes flickering wide.

Mai stifles her laughter.

Meanwhile, something occurs to Aang. "Fire Nation weddings have _rings_."

"You're right. Where are we supposed to get rings this late? And this last minute?" Zuko's heart leaps into his throat. It is not a true marriage without rings. That is as important as the tied ropes and baked bread.

"Is there a sketchy part of town?" Aang asks, which is not a response Zuko was expecting.

"We're going to get assassinated," Zuko sighs. "Okay, come on. Let's hurry."

And so Aang and Zuko start to escape the party. Until they are blockaded at the door by Sokka and Suki.

"Where have you been?" Suki demands sharply and Zuko cringes. Aang rubs his neck awkwardly. "We've been trying to address the _entire _crowd. And Toph is not exactly a people person. Neither is Sokka."

"It's an emergency." Aang pats Sokka on the shoulder and nods for Zuko to escape.

"Sokka," Zuko says, taking two steps backwards as Aang freezes, "I need you to keep the guests here as long as possible. We have a huge plan for tonight."

"Seriously?" Sokka squints at Zuko, but eventually nods. He trusts the Avatar and the Fire Lord, as much as that makes his life more difficult.

Aang and Zuko head out to the East Side of Caldera. It would be best to not be wearing such expensive clothes, and while Zuko removes his crown and Aang attempts to cover his tattoos with a hat, they are likely not fooling anyone.

"So, Zuko," Aang says as they turn down a dark, damp street, "do you have a best man speech planned?"

"I do not think Azula would appreciate me as best man."

"Well, who else is going to do it? At least as her brother you kind of have to," Aang says, cocking an eyebrow.

"Ugh. Uh..." Zuko tries to think while analyzing the streets for danger. "When Azula is not trying to kill me..."

"Go for an anecdote," Aang says with a sharp nod.

"The first time Azula tried to kill me..."

"Nope," Aang interrupts and Zuko groans. "I suggest avoiding the _killing _part."

"If you're so gifted at speeches, why don't _you _be the best man?" Zuko snaps and Aang chuckles. "You know what, I'll stay simple. Some of the times I've had with Azula have been good. There, speech. I'll save the spotlight for Mai."

"That's not bad," Aang lies. He does not think Zuko is going to do any better. "Is Katara right? Is this just another part of the endless saga of Fire Sibling Rivalry?"

"Well, okay, I admit that I want to call her out on her lying. But, you know, I do want this to be the best wedding it can be for her. She's my sister and I would do anything for her," Zuko says, feeling uncomfortable. Aang always puts him in the odd position of discussing his feelings, while most in the Fire Nation would slap Zuko for saying he cared about anyone or anything. "I wouldn't have spent so much time on her, helping her, for all these years, for no reason."

Aang smiles and Zuko is unsure why. "There's your speech."

"She would kill me for that one," Zuko says, shaking his head slowly.

"Well, then consider it another point for Zuko in the Fire Sibling Rivalry Saga," Aang says as they approach a store with lights glowing.

"This is the scariest store I've seen since the Earth Kingdom," Zuko remarks, his neck-bones tensed.

"It's okay. I'm the Avatar. I always go in the creepy tunnel first," Aang replies calmly and Zuko is unsure what to make of it.

They walk inside.

Across town, Azula and Mai make it to Sozin Memorial Plaza.

"She's here," Azula breathes, relief washing over her.

"Azula, don't look," Mai says, but it is too late.

In the gazebo, among the statues and soaking flowers, is Ty Lee. Her lips are attached to someone's face.

"I'm going to handle this like a responsible adult," Azula says slowly and Mai does not believe her for a second. "By breaking his arm."

"Azula, you're going to get arrested."

"My brother is Fire Lord. I'd like to see them try."

"Azula, this is not the way to her heart!" Mai hobbles after her, but a piece of sharp gravel punctures her bare foot. She curses and grabs it as she hears a sickening snap and shriek. This is the most disastrous night in the history of Zuko's bad ideas.

"Come on," Azula says forcefully as Mai cringes at the whimpering, muscled man with tostled hair and perfect amber eyes now starting to cry and clutching his arm with his back pressed against the gazebo. "As your wife, I officially put a stop to this. How far were you going to go with this creep?"

Azula grabs Ty Lee before she can respond and Mai grimaces. It could have gone worse, she supposes. It could always have gone worse.

Aang and Zuko make it out of the sketchy pawn shop with two rings in hand.

"These are probably stolen off of a corpse," Zuko says, analyzing them. "They look kind of corpse robber-ish."

"That sounds just like Azula's style," Aang replies warmly and Zuko supposes he has a point.

The two groups intersect as soon as they arrive back at Four Nations Park. Ty Lee is crying as Azula pulls on her and Mai limps, one of her feet bleeding. Aang and Zuko run into Katara, who is holding the papers and guarding over the other wedding supplies.

Sokka is standing in front of the crowd, awkwardly trying to prolong the affair with no knowledge of why Zuko asked him to do it.

"Please stop crying," Azula sighs as soon as they are inside.

"Yeah, check on your bleeding friend," Mai mumbles to herself.

"I can't," Ty Lee sobs, sniffing in mucus. Azula rubs her temples.

"I'm sorry for losing control like that. It was a passionate, heat of the moment move," Azula admits and Ty Lee shakes her head. "We've gotten engaged eleven times. We might as well get married twice."

Only sobbing from Ty Lee.

"I'm sorry. There, an apology. I don't give those out freely," Azula says and Ty Lee wipes her eyes.

"You shouldn't be sorry. I'm crying because that's the most romantic thing I've ever seen. Of course I'll remarry you Azula. And then I'll divorce you and marry you eight more times," Ty Lee says and Mai breathes in through her teeth.

"That might be overkill," Mai murmurs. Again, no one listens.

"You're so weird," Azula whispers before kissing Ty Lee on the lips.

"Yay, love, romance. Get in there so that poor Water Tribe guy can stop humiliating himself," Mai orders, and, finally, she is heard.

Azula and Ty Lee walk into the banquet hall, frazzled, and sit back in their chairs.

Zuko sees them, having never noticed they were gone, and walks to remove Sokka from the position where he is sweating profusely and attempting bad jokes.

"There's something very special happening tonight," Zuko says regally and suddenly the bored crowd is paying attention. "A surprise wedding for my sister and her fiancée. Now, Azula hasn't told me that she's engaged. And, so, here's my engagement gift. A wedding. Are you surprised?"

"Incredibly," Azula lies, as Ty Lee forces a terrible surprised face.

* * *

Azula and Ty Lee spin around in the night, as people are quite enjoying the party. It has become much more lively than a dull charity event. And the wedding was well executed. Zuko pulled out all the stops, and Azula is glad that he played right into her hands like a moron. Everybody wins tonight.

"Why aren't you crying? You're married. Zuko actually pulled off a really impressive wedding for three hours of preparation," Mai says sharply before poking the side of Azula's eye.

"Ouch, you bitch," Azula shrieks, rubbing her eye.

"She's not crying yet. Poke her again," Ty Lee orders and Mai shakes her head.

"That's my contribution," Mai says. "If you guys get married again, you're going to tell at least me, right?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Azula says, waving a hand dismissively.

"Zuko's coming, act surprised," Ty Lee squeals, spinning Azula to the side to face her brother.

"You got me, Zuko. A princess surrenders with dignity," Azula purrs, wrapping her arm around Ty Lee's waist. "I suppose I couldn't hide my engagement from such an intelligent man as yourself."

"I got you," Zuko says and Azula smirks. "I win. And I completely still think that paint was fire blossom red."

"It wasn't, ZuZu." She shakes her head. "I notice you didn't even bother to give me a speech. And, I mean, for spur of the moment vows, mine were quite beautiful."

"They were," Ty Lee says sweetly. She was quite impressed with them, although she had heard them before at their real wedding.

"Azula, some of the times I've had with you have been good." He forcibly clinks glasses with her, sloshing some of the wine onto her hand.

"That's very sweet of you. The feeling is mutual," Azula says honestly.

"You liked the wedding. And everyone said you would hate it," Zuko remarks and Azula shakes her head. "Admit it, you liked it. You liked it."

"It was adequate," Azula replies haughtily and Zuko supposes he will take the small victory. "Did you steal these rings off of a corpse?"

"Long story." Zuko shakes his head and leaves Azula and Ty Lee to their small, spinning dance in the shadows.

"I'm really excited for our next eight weddings," Ty Lee says, and at least for tonight, Azula does not bother to correct her.


	52. Pretty, Pretty Princess

_(Theme Fifty-Two) _**Pretty, Pretty Princess**

_(As Prompted By) _**Streetlight Eyes**

Azusami sets the crown on her head and it immediately swoops down, dangling from her hair. She scowls at the smudged mirror as Azula sits, watching her, hesitant to get involved. Ty Lee is digging through boxes of jewelry and Azusami occasionally gets up to steal some of them and adorn herself with the gems and gold.

"Azusami, those are priceless artifacts mixed in with your mom's old, tacky jewelry. Be careful," Azula says and Azusami glares at her. Ty Lee drapes another set of earrings over Azusami's ears, to which Azula purses her lips.

"You used to do this too," Ty Lee says, smirking. Azula glares at her as Azusami's eyes widen with curiosity.

"What? Mother did something fun once?" Azusami asks, turning around and nearly falling over. She looks eagerly at Azula, whom glares at Ty Lee. The acrobat just shrugs and smiles wickedly.

"I do fun things all the time," Azula says sharply before realizing she is speaking to her child. "Come on, we have fun, Azusami."

"Hmm. No," Azusami replies bluntly with a cavalier shrug. "But you used to be fun."

"I have always been fun," Azula says, tapping her finger on her elbow. How this _six _year old makes her feel so self conscious... is unnerving.

"Your mother used to play dress up with me. One time we made up your Uncle Zuko. He looked so pretty," Ty Lee says and Azula cannot help but smirk slightly at that memory.

"Let me decorate you!" Azusami declares, and Azula does not think she is asking; she is most certainly ordering. Azula thinks she may have nurtured some terrible habits in her child, because a little tyrant is just too adorable for Azula to resist.

Azula shakes her head slowly. "You're not a servant. You are a princess, and you decorate no one but yourself."

But Azusami has her eyes narrowed and is utterly focused on her mother. She picks up the box of discards Ty Lee has handed her and carries them over to the bed where Azula is sitting. Ty Lee stifles her laughter, save for the shaking of her shoulders.

"You look like she's about to perform surgery on you," Ty Lee giggles, shaking her head at her wife.

"I'm going to look ridiculous," Azula sighs, picking up a gaudy bracelet on the top. "Azusami, you need to collect things other than jewelry. I know this all fun and exciting when your mom is handing you her buyer's remorse, but I simply could not live with myself if my child started collecting ─ oh, you've started."

And Azusami has begun. She is arranging a necklace on her mother's neck, examining it closely, and then she sets it down. Promptly, she picks up another and Azula is confused; clearly Azusami is putting a good deal of thought into this, but it always comes out ugly. Is Azula the only person in this immediate family with remotely refined tastes?

"Okay, that one's good," Azusami says, pleased with herself. Azula looks into the mirror with a concerned expression.

"It's not your execution, love," Ty Lee says with a small smile.

"You enjoy this," Azula snaps and Ty Lee shrugs, grinning now. "I am only doing this for you, Azusami."

"It's not like you could say no," Azusami replies without missing a beat and Azula does not know what to say. Azusami examines earrings for a moment before deciding against them. Azula tries to hide her sigh of relief. Her small, sticky daughter poking around inside of her ears cannot end well.

Azusami climbs onto Azula to get a better look. She narrows her eyes, meeting Azula's gaze directly. Azula does not think she would ever have met her father's gaze, and it is always unnerving. Ty Lee says that is a sign of good parenting, that her daughter is not horrified of her. But Azula still finds it weird and a tad unsettling.

"Beighback," Azusami mutters and Azula squints at her. The little girl has pounced from the bed like a cat and run into the her mothers' bathroom.

"What did she say?" Azula asks, tilting her head to the side.

"Be right back," Ty Lee says, her grin now absolutely malicious. "Please lighten up."

"She needs to... I..." Azula just cringes with her lips slightly parted. "I don't..."

"She loves you, and she wants to decorate you," Ty Lee says. "And it is hilarious."

"It's hilarious?" Azula asks and Ty Lee shrugs and giggles, before Azusami returns clutching a small ruby crusted compact. "Azusami, that eye shadow is made of actual gold flakes."

"Yes," Azusami says in response.

"No, not yes, you can't just waste it. It's meant for very special occasions."

"Stop talking about stupid Fire Nation traditions. Nobody cares," Azusami whines melodramatically, sighing with her entire small body. "Have fun. You never have fun. That's why mom is the fun parent."

"I'm... fun," Azula says, suddenly much more interested in dress up.

Azusami just shakes her head. From the mouths of babes.

"Ty Lee isn't _fun_," Azula says, still dizzy from the accusation. "Let's use all of that eye shadow even though it disrespects my ancestors probably. I'm fun."

"Hm," is Azusami's response and Azula's eyes flash.

"I'm fun. Azusami, you know that I'm fun. I have lots of fun."

Azusami shakes her head and jabs the applicator into the eye shadow, digging up a chunk that could last several years. Azula moves to shield her eyes but realizes she must suffer through this. She conquered Ba Sing Se, she can handle dress up.

"You don't hate me, do you? I mean, let's just _say_ I'm not fun, even though we all know I am incredibly fun. But, you don't hate me?" Azula asks with her eyes closed for their own safety.

"Why would I hate you? You're my mother," Azusami says, as if it is so obvious. "I love you. But I'm going to love you much more once I do your nails."

"No, my nails are off limits," Azula says, but it is far too late. "A princess surrenders with honor," she sighs as Azusami seizes her hand and a file.

Ty Lee is still laughing. "A pretty, pretty princess surrenders with honor too," she adds and Azula shoots her a look that could kill.


	53. Shopping!

_(Theme Fifty-Three) _**Shopping! (Or How Ty Lee and Azula Got Matching Tattoos)**

_(As Prompted By) _**Guest**

"Azula, you know what you need?" Ty Lee asks loudly, throwing open the curtains. "A treat yourself day."

"How about a treat myself to a few hours more of sleep day?" Azula suggests weakly, punctuated with a yawn. "There, it's decided. I will sleep, you can go have fun."

Azula is then roused by something pouncing onto the bed with the velocity and form of a wildcat. Ty Lee growls at her and then crawls up the bed as Azula shrinks beneath the covers. The princess is realizing that this is a battle she is going to lose and that kills a small part of her.

"You need to relax and unwind because you are a _mess_," Ty Lee says, poking one finger towards Azula's face. Azula knocks it away with her shoulder before it makes contact with her nose. "Come on, no stress, complete bliss..."

Ty Lee rests her head on Azula's abdomen and peacefully closes her eyes. "See I can relax anywhere I go. But we are going shopping. And then perhaps to a spa."

"Hmphm," is Azula's response as she once more futilely tries to go back to sleep. Ty Lee stands up and jabs Azula. The princess falls silent and refuses to cave in to this game.

Frustrated, Ty Lee stands up and starts jumping on the bed. Azula has to cling to the crimson sheets as she is bounced around, her slender body flailing. She secures herself and kicks up one heel, knocking Ty Lee onto the bed, her face colliding with the multitude of black, gold and red pillows.

"Alright, I'll do your _treat yourself _day," Azula sighs as Ty Lee sneezes and a feather flutters off of her lips from the force. "I hope you're happy."

"I am," Ty Lee says, pecking Azula on the lips. "We are going to be so much useless stuff. Because what is my motto?"

"Love dies, but things are forever," Azula responds, smirking. She does like Ty Lee's misarranged priorities. She finds them endearing. "Alright, let's get some forever things."

Ty Lee kisses her again, this time a little messier. Azula is painfully reminded once more of how, when she moved in for the first kiss, she missed and hit Ty Lee's nose.

She slowly gets out of bed and gets dressed as Ty Lee is dancing around, unable to sit still and wait patiently for Azula to perfect her appearance. Azula has learned the value in making yourself look perfect. No one assumes that there is something wrong with you, or that you have secrets, or that you are in pain. It has, in her life, served her well to not have a single hair out of place. But it makes Ty Lee want to chew through her own wrist from the monotony and her own impatience.

"Are you ready?" Ty Lee asks for the thousandth time, and, finally, Azula nods. "Yay! Shopping and spa and relaxation and total sex later!"

Azula can only nod. She sincerely hopes there is not a surprise planned for her in the shopping district. But Ty Lee grabs her hand, humming happily as if it is such a great day, although it is a bit cold and wet outside and Azula finds it to be a painfully ordinary day if it weren't interrupted with this absurd relaxation outing Ty Lee has planned.

"Why do you find this relaxing?" Azula asks as she is forced through the doors of the palace.

"It's fun," Ty Lee replies as if Azula has asked something completely ridiculous. Azula just surrenders herself and allows Ty Lee to tug her and talk to her, and all but drag her to the shopping district of Caldera.

"I don't know about this," Azula says slowly as she starts examining the first store she is in. It feels as if a tornado has pulled her out of her room and dropped her here, surrounded by spoilt teenage girls. Azula might possibly qualify as one of those, but she does not want to think about it.

"Azula, _treat yourself_," Ty Lee says, jabbing her again.

"Ow," Azula murmurs, rubbing her arm. "I'm going to have you executed if you poke me again."

"Treat yourself!" Ty Lee shrieks as Azula glances at the door longingly.

"Okay, okay, I'm treating myself," Azula purrs, sounding far too stiff and regal. It kills Ty Lee internally.

Ty Lee is up to something quite dark. Zuko has ordered her to remove Azula from the palace and to keep her distracted all day. Hopefully, Azula will not catch on. Ty Lee finds that staying a step ahead of Azula is easier than one would think. Being the dumbest one in the room at all times makes you the one the smartest person in the room is quickest to trust.

They meander through the stores, Ty Lee buying whatever she can get her hands on. Azula forces Ty Lee to hold her bags, which Ty Lee does willingly despite her own purchases weighing her down.

"This is an intriguing date. It's low in romance but heavy on frivolous spending," Azula comments and Ty Lee only smiles in response. "So, what is it you want, other than ten bags of useless bullshit? Why did you lure me out of the palace?"

"Oh, look, boats!" Ty Lee has broken out into a sweat and Azula thinks it is kind of cute. "They're very... metal!"

"Mhm. Cough it up. You can't keep a secret if you _tried_," Azula says, wrapping one arm around Ty Lee. She feels very much like a little insect being wrapped up by the slender limbs of a spiderfly. "Tell me. Tell me."

"No. Here, candy!" Ty Lee presses a fire gummy against Azula's lips, but she closes them in time. Ty Lee groans and drops the candy to the ground as passersby stare. "Okay, okay, I give in. You don't have to rip my fingernails out."

"All I did was ask."

"I _said _you don't have to rip my fingernails out, Azula."

"Oh. Oh, Agni." This is painful.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you," Ty Lee whispers, clutching Azula's hand. Her palms are sweaty and stick to Azula's, but the princess does not mind. "Your mother is visiting."

"Oh, and I thought this would be interesting," Azula sighs. "Well, that gives me an intriguing idea..."

"No, no sabotaging your mother's visit. We don't need a reprisal of last time, Azula. There's a reason Zuko is trying to _hide _you from her," Ty Lee says as Azula starts walking towards a tattoo parlor. Oh, Agni, no... why? Ty Lee would trade her soul and her fortune for the ability to keep secrets.

"I've always thought about getting a tattoo."

"You're not sixteen, _Azula_. You are an adult and a politician and─"

"If I'm an adult and can make my own choices, why can't I get a tattoo?" Azula suggests and Ty Lee grimaces.

"I guess there's nothing really stopping you..."

"Zuko _isn't _my father," Azula says, bursting through the door. Ty Lee clenches her jaw and wishes this could all just disappear. "I think I want to celebrate my freedom, if you can call it that."

Azula again expresses her resentment towards being Zuko's ward. But when you run off for four years and attempt to murder people, sometimes you lose your freedom. Ty Lee is amazed at Zuko's restraint and compassion for not just sending her to the Boiling Rock at times.

And so, Ty Lee finds herself sitting anxiously as the tattoo artists fumble around frantically. Azula's presence terrifies them utterly and the princess enjoys it. Ty Lee, however, is wringing her hands and picking at her fingers, and sliding off and on her engagement ring repeatedly.

"You," Azula says, grabbing a man by the neck. He looks about to cry, despite all of his army and prison tattoos and toned muscles. "I know what I want. I was thinking maybe some patterns on my hands so when I firebend it looks like it's coming out of the tattoos." Pause. "Or is that too blunt? I considered a dragon, but now, that's just cliché. _Blue _dragon?"

"I... uh..." he stammers, turning bright red.

"Ty Lee, tell me what tattoo I should get." Azula releases the man's collar and he gasps for breath.

"I think we should get matching tattoos," Ty Lee says after endless pleas for Azula to change her mind.

"I like the way you think," Azula says with a smirk. "Two dragon tattoos. Make them pretty. And make them _identical_. Identical. So help me if there is even the slightest difference or disproportion in these dragons I will have all of your hands chopped off."

"I love you," is all Ty Lee can say to that. She kisses Azula on the lips as a woman hastily clears a chair for her beside Azula.

"You are a terrible babysitter."

Another kiss.


	54. Danger

_(Theme Fifty-Four) _**Danger**

_(As Prompted By) _**Koka Kola Veins**

It is midnight. Azula is ghostwriting a speech. And then the speech quite literally disintegrates in front of her when her tea is knocked out of her hand.

"You can't drink five of those!" screams Ty Lee and Azula narrows her gilded eyes at her wife. "Are you _trying _to endanger our child?"

"I have had three. And given my tolerance to caffeine─"

"_Three_? Agni? Azula! No! Bad!" Ty Lee shouts, as if chastising her cat. Azula groans.

This has been madness. The tirade against red meat and staying up too late. While Azula does not mind Ty Lee's attempts to relieve any stress ─ the girl certainly understands massages with her encyclopedic knowledge of pressure points and chi flow ─ the overprotective nature of Ty Lee is getting incredibly tiring. If there is anything Azula hates, it is being told what to do, and being _protected._

"Zuko has a speech tomorrow," Azula says. "I'm trying to finish it."

"Well your body is trying to finish making our baby," Ty Lee says shrilly and Azula hates that she does have a point. Perhaps the princess should prioritize her unborn child over politics, but she does find the obsessive worrying of Ty Lee mildly troubling.

Azula pauses. She wants to give Ty Lee her desire of keeping herself in some protective bubble until their baby claws its way out of her vagina, _but _she has a life, and she does not intend for it to be inhibited by such petty human things as _pregnancy_. Azula taps her fingernails on the table and examines the bleeding ink on her speech she has been writing for her brother laboriously.

"Alright, fine, fine, I will keep our baby completely out of danger. I will go to sleep now, and I will stop drinking caffeine and doing everything fun..." Azula trails off, her eyes glinting with disappointment. But Ty Lee does not budge; she has more staked in this than Azula seems to believe.

"You're not giving me that face to get out of this. Go to bed!"

"You can't simply order me around," Azula snarls, her lips curled viciously. "I outrank you and I am far more powerful than you are."

Ty Lee simply stares. It pierces Azula, puncturing her bones, skin and soul. She clears her throat uncomfortably, immensely frustrated that her powers of intimidation have exactly one person immune to them, and gets up.

"I'm going, I'm going," Azula sighs, clenching her fist so tightly that her nails send waves of pain through her hand from digging into her flesh.

_Danger _this, _danger _that, and Azula absolutely despises the fact that Ty Lee is both right and immovable. Most of the time Azula can bend her and melt her and push her around to her heart's desire, but she thinks she has found a topic that Ty Lee is so feverish about that even Azula cannot make her submit. It is almost as sickening as the perpetual nausea and vomiting.

She lies down in her bed and wonders why she is obeying. Perhaps she _does _have an interest in her child, or maybe Ty Lee is just starting to frighten her, not that Azula would ever admit either of those things aloud. She closes her eyes and tries to fall asleep, but her toes and fingers twitch and she feels sparks within her.

Someone lies beside her and winds up making soothing noises. Ty Lee. Azula... Azula thinks she has been pushed to her absolute limit. Her freedoms were stripped away for years because of her actions as a war criminal, and _now _she has finally gained the trust of the Avatar and Zuko, and is able to do mostly as she pleases. But Ty Lee intends to restrict her, which makes Azula want to rip people's throats out with her teeth.

"Stop," Azula snaps, clamping her hand over Ty Lee's mouth. "Just don't... I can't even express in words... Look at me! I'm speechless. I have never been speechless until this moment. Stop _coddling _me. I'm a perfectly competent adult and I don't need you to make hushing sounds to try to get me to fall asleep like I'm three years old."

Ty Lee watches Azula's eye twitch and starts briefly rethinking her position. But she thinks she may be more afraid of Azula's pregnancy than Azula is, and she cannot help but obsessively micromanage to try to prevent her fears. She waits for Azula to lift her hand away, although she wants to bite down and snap a few choice words about Azula being an absolute bitch.

But Ty Lee can understand how her behavior may be driving Azula even more insane.

"I just don't want our baby to get hurt. The world is extremely dangerous," Ty Lee says shrilly and Azula sighs and closes her eyes.

She does not want to argue this yet again. Absurd. Absolutely absurd. Anyone can do this. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation can do absolutely anything, including the impossible; she thinks she can manage doing something that peasant women do by _accident_. But Ty Lee clearly does not have that faith in her wife.

Azula goes to sleep, ignoring Ty Lee's constant gaze on her, because she is getting depressingly used to it.

And in the morning, she rewrites her spilled on speech, neglecting caffeine despite her wife not being present, and prepares herself for the event.

"Thank you, Azula," Zuko says and she does not respond. He clears his throat and picks at his fingers in attempt to make it less awkward.

The event progresses as planned, that is, until Azula finds herself in the middle of an assassination attempt. Zuko dodges the first attack and when he strikes back, Azula catches sight of the assailant. The crowd is thrown into chaos, and Azula vaults off of the royal balcony before anyone can stop her.

She catches herself on cerulean flames that lick the air, and then hits the ground running. Chasing the assassin, everything around her is a blur. She forgets about danger, Ty Lee, the people surrounding her or the triviality of the attempt.

Azula needs to breathe. She needs a fight.

She tackles the man with ease and snaps one of his arms behind his back. As she steps back, soldiers take over for her and she catches her breath.

That is when she belatedly learns that the assassin was not alone, she feels the ground shake and her body leave the ground unwillingly, and everything goes black.

* * *

"Azula, Azula, Azula," is the first thing Azula hears as she wakes up.

Hospital. She is in a hospital. Ty Lee is hovering above her, she is covered in bandages and she can still feel the explosion she was caught in. The next realization is that she now is probably going to get the lecture of a lifetime from Ty Lee. And the next makes her eyes flash and her fingertips fly to her abdomen. Still there. Still there.

"How long have you been shouting my name?" Azula rasps before clearing her throat. It does not make it any less sore.

"Intermittently. I cannot believe you thought that would be a good idea," Ty Lee snaps, looking both livid and unhinged. Azula purses her lips, hating that Ty Lee is right. "You can't just jump off of buildings and into explosions while pregnant with our firstborn child. Probably our _only _child."

Azula pauses. She does not honestly want to admit that she was wrong. And so she stares at the ceiling as Ty Lee waits for her response surprisingly patiently.

"Ugh. Fine. I'm sorry. There. But I feel like a prisoner and I wanted to..." and then Azula feels ridiculous. Behaving like a teenager is incredibly embarrassing when she says it out loud.

"I realize I've been kind of a horrific tyrant about the baby. You're an adult and I think you can probably handle it," Ty Lee says with a deep breath and Azula's eyes flicker in surprise. "But so help me, if you jump off of a balcony and get caught in an explosion again, I will shackle you to something for the next five months."

Azula can only nod. She thinks the deal is fair enough.


	55. The Chaperone

_(Theme Fifty-Five) _**The Chaperone**

_(As Prompted By) _**GuitarBOSS**

It is one week before they reach Ba Sing Se with a drill, and Mai is trying to stop Azula and Ty Lee from drilling each other.

"No!" snaps Mai as Ty Lee wraps her arm around Azula, fingertips resting on the princess's waist. Ty Lee jumps about a foot in shock and makes a small hissing sound in fright as Azula laughs cruelly. "I refuse to allow any of that touching. At all."

"Why?" Ty Lee asks, narrowing her eyes at Mai. She looks up and down her friend, whom looks quite firm about the decision. Mai has never protested about Ty Lee and Azula before, even though she has expressed her disinterest in all aspects of their newly kindled romantic relationship.

They are in the first phase, Mai supposes. The phase where there is incessant touching. It is utterly repulsive. She cannot help but roll her eyes every time they steal a kiss or touch in ways that likely should not be so prominently and publicly displayed.

"I have been asked to be your chaperone on this drill excursion. And I take that duty very seriously," Mai replies flatly and Azula squints at her.

"Are you joking? I can't tell with you," Azula says slowly, suddenly looking far less amused. Ty Lee twitches towards Azula before watching Mai's amber eyes flare. "Who appointed you our _chaperone_?"

"Your father," Mai says and Azula chews on her lower lip. "And don't try to talk me out of it, because I'm getting incredibly tired of all of the kissing and touching. It is gross, uncomfortable and not meant to be in public. And now I have the authority to stop you."

Azula crosses her arms. "You have _no _such authority. I have the utmost authority to do whatever I would like, and you have no power over me. I mean, what did he give you to stop us? A spray bottle of lemon juice?"

"I have to say I agree with him. It's getting out of hand," Mai says firmly, crossing her arms.

Princess Azula is completely stunned and revolted at Mai's insubordinate behavior. Last Azula checked, Mai is loyal to _Azula _not Fire Lord _Ozai_. Sure he may be the sole ruler of an empire with the power to execute and banish people for no reason. But Azula got her claws on Mai _first_.

"Nothing is getting _out of hand_. I am basically an adult and I can do whatever I want with her," Azula says and Mai sighs.

"Take it up with your father. But I think I enjoy my assignment." Her lips twitch with a small smile and Azula's face becomes ashen. Mai, expert at knives, nationalist, cockblocker extraordinaire. She likes it in a sick and sadistic way.

Azula simply turns away huffily, and Mai thinks she may have won.

At least for now.

* * *

Mai lies down on the princess's surprisingly plush bed in the Earth Kingdom fortress near a river leading to Ba Sing Se. Azula and Ty Lee fall into each other, of course, which is entirely inappropriate and moderately gross. Mai picks up her pillow and examines it for a moment before getting a brilliant idea.

"No," Mai says and Azula grits her teeth. "Let go of each other before I smother one of you with this pillow."

"You can't smother me," Azula snarls, her eyes flashing. Mai wants to step backwards, or possibly run, but she stands her ground. Ozai has put her a notch ahead of Azula on something, and, while she knows she should not enjoy it, she kind of does.

"Hm. True. If I smothered _you_, me and my family would be executed for treason... but if I smother _Ty Lee_, I probably see, five, ten years of prison tops," Mai says and Ty Lee recoils slightly. "Maybe less than that given my dad's connections. Watch yourself, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee looks concerned, her lips pursed tightly and her eyes glittering. She has never been so scared of Mai before. But Azula scoffs and kisses Ty Lee pointedly.

"Azula, stop, she's going to smother me," Ty Lee squeaks, pushing on the princess's shoulders.

"She's not going to do anything. Because if I kill her, I won't even go to prison at all. My father will just cleanly cover it up," Azula says smugly and Mai narrows her eyes. The princess shrugs carelessly and returns her lips to Ty Lee, who seems soothed by Azula's statement.

Mai sighs and decides to devise a new plan to keep them apart. She wonders briefly why she feels so _passionately _about this when there is nothing to gain from it save from the satisfaction. Does she really want to do this to Azula and Ty Lee so much?

Yes, yes she does.

She just needs to outplay and outwit them.

Agni, she has better uses for her time.

* * *

A/N: I might continue this one. I'm not quite sure, because I feel like the ending isn't very conclusive, but this is all I planned for the drabble. If people want a continuation I would continue it in drabble 57, because 56 I have been sitting on for a long time and am eager to share.


	56. Ménage a Trois

A/N: If you can't tell from the title, this one is a Hard T, Soft M. No sexual content, but the topic is a bit... mature. I mean, the prompt was Azula being more vanilla than Ty Lee.

* * *

_(Theme Fifty-Six) _**Ménage a Trois (or 50 Shades of Fire Nation Red)**

_(As Prompted By) _**Distracted by Lemons**

"Interesting?" Azula cocks an eyebrow. She does not know exactly what to make of that remark. _Interesting_. That exact phrasing terrifies Azula for an inexplicable reason.

"I want to do something _interesting_, yes," Ty Lee repeats as if Azula simply did not hear her.

"Okay," Azula says, forcing the words out before she can change her mind. It is not as if she is _scared _of changing things up sexually... it is just that she is scared of changing things up sexually.

They are lying in bed in silk sheets, half naked, their only clothes those they forgot to strip off of each other as they frantically dug into each other's bodies. Ty Lee is examining Azula closely, looking slightly dazed, and the princess is wondering what exactly could be so _lacking _to her girlfriend. Azula is a fantastic sexual partner, superior to all others. Probably.

"Interesting like...?" Azula asks and Ty Lee squints at her for a moment. If she did not know Azula better, she would think she was scared.

"Interesting like reckless and irresponsible and kinky," is Ty Lee's matter-of-fact response. The princess makes an expression Ty Lee has never seen before.

"Like handcuffs or like... candle wax or something?" Azula inquires slowly, as if this is incredibly difficult to comprehend.

"No like ─ _what_? Like _candle wax_? What does that have to do with anything sexual?" Ty Lee asks, it apparently being her turn to be bewildered now. Ty Lee shakes her head, ignoring Azula's confusing statement and adds, "Okay, do you want me to be blunt?"

"Please," Azula says quietly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"I want to have sex with you," Ty Lee begins and then slowly adds, "and someone else. At the same time."

Azula's eyes flutter for a moment as she tries to comprehend it. "With who, exactly? Who are you so _in love with_?"

"I am in love with you. I just... ugh." Ty Lee sighs and slams her face against Azula's mattress. "You are... never mind."

"I am what? I'm what, Ty Lee? I don't want to have sex with your friends and you so I'm so terrible? Who is it? Tell me before I go find out!" Azula sits up and Ty Lee remains face down on the mattress, wishing she had not sparked this wildfire. "It's that Water Tribe boy, isn't it? My brother? One of your little island friends?"

"Oh, Agni..." Ty Lee rolls her eyes and presses her face deeper into the silk sheets. "You have some real jealousy issues you need to work on."

"Well you have some scary sex pervert issues you need to work on," Azula snaps and Ty Lee groans.

Ty Lee finally breathes in slowly and realizes she must be the adult in this situation. She sits up slowly and takes gentle hold of both of Azula's wrists.

"I am in love with you, and I will not do or make you do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. It was only a suggestion. I'm sure you have things you've always wanted to do with someone in bed," Ty Lee says warmly, offering a smile. But Azula's jaw is clenched so tightly Ty Lee does not think she could pry her teeth apart with a crowbar. "It doesn't mean I'm _into _someone. I don't care who. You can pick, if you want."

Azula hesitates for a moment, knowing she should say something clever and assertive to solve the situation. But she... she flees.

She just panics and her limbs take her out of her room before Ty Lee can reach to stop her.

* * *

Mai is minding her own business when Azula melodramatically enters the room, looking disheveled and ashen. Her shirt is mostly undone but Mai decides not to tell her that she can see most of her cleavage. It looks as if Azula has bigger problems than that.

"Azula, what's wrong? Did she break up with you?" Mai asks as the princess walks into the room and wraps herself around Mai like a child. "You still have sex hair. And your boobs are showing."

"My girlfriend is a horrifying sex pervert," Azula whispers and Mai snorts, slipping her hand to put Azula's shirt back together. "What?"

"Did it really take you _this _long to find that out? How long has she been hiding that from you?" Mai sounds genuinely startled and Azula narrows her gilded eyes. This unsettling new information and Mai should _not _know it. "You really didn't know. Oh, Azula, so naive."

The room gains another spectator to Azula's threesome woes when the Fire Lord walks in.

"What happened?" Zuko asks, his eyes flashing.

"Azula burned down an orphanage," Mai replies sarcastically and Zuko sighs. "Ty Lee is a terrifying sex pervert or something."

"Ew." Pause. "Well, I... maybe not ew. How is she a terrifying sex pervert?"

"Any number of ways," Mai replies, savoring this far too much. "Have you ever heard her list all of her kinks?"

"No," Azula murmurs with a grimace and Zuko still seems to be contemplating. "What did I get myself into?"

"You know, I'm going to go with not ew," Zuko decides and Azula glares at him. "I mean, ew that it's with Azula. But, if it were with you, Mai, not ew."

Mai cocks an eyebrow at Zuko and he shrugs. He has no defense. She then turns back to Azula and pets the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Mai asks and Azula shakes her head.

"I can't let her know that I'm not into that either," Azula snaps, suddenly losing her lost little girl demeanor and transforming back into a regal nightmare. "I must be stronger than her. If she wants to do something _interesting, _well then I will."

"Okay, what is interesting?" Mai demands, tired of waiting. "You might like it, Azula. You never know. You probably have secret sexual desires you never let yourself acknowledge and this could be good for you."

Azula pauses. "You're my best friend."

"I am your only friend." Mai shrugs, unsure what Azula is getting at.

"Will you have sex with me and my girlfriend?"

Zuko chokes, Mai's face does not move, Azula waits for her answer.

"I don't know... I don't have a response to that," Mai eventually says, her face still vacant. "Probably not."

"Wonderful! Now I have to find someone else." Azula leaps up and leaves the room with the grace and subtlety of a raging lion-vulture.

"I am so confused," Mai whispers, staring after her. Zuko examines his hands closely to avoid making eye contact with Mai.

* * *

Ty Lee has gotten herself dressed and immediately gone looking for Azula. Their altercation was to be expected, Ty Lee supposes. She _did _somewhat spring the concept of a threesome on someone notoriously jealous and less than sexually adventurous. Not that Azula is not in the wrong either, but Ty Lee supposes she has to look past that and mend this situation before it burns out of control.

"Azula?" Ty Lee squeaks, finding the princess surrounded by candles and meditating. She looks beautiful when she is peaceful like that, her back slightly arched and her eyes closed.

"Mm," is the princess's response, as she does not move, and the candles remain blue and calm. Ty Lee half expected them to burn out of control or revert to orange and yellow.

"I want to talk to you about the whole, uh, threesome thing," Ty Lee says, sitting down beside the princess. Azula still does not move. "It has nothing to do with me liking other people more than you. I mean, I _tried _to like other people more than you and it was too hard. I'm not just masochistic, I'm really in love with you and I don't want to lose you over, uh, that. It's fine with me if you're not into anything, uh, _interesting_. Not that you're _not _interesting, or anything, you're amazing in bed. Way better than literally anyone pretty much. I just, uh, please, uh─"

Azula presses her lips against Ty Lee's, startling the Kyoshi Warrior half to death. The candles surge, but stay cerulean.

"I've been thinking, as you can see by my set up," Azula says, gesturing at the small table and half melted red candles.

"...about?" Ty Lee breathes, slightly afraid.

"About what _I _find... _interesting_."


	57. Chandelier

_(Theme Fifty-Seven) _**"Chandelier" - Sia**

_(As Prompted By) _**n7raincoat**

The adrenaline rush surges through Azula brilliantly, vibrantly and passionately as she runs through the backstreets of Ember Island with Mai, Ty Lee and Zuko. She has just possibly had the most _fun _in her life and she feels utterly thrilled. It certainly makes up for the disgusting amount of _talking about feelings _she witnessed beforehand.

She tries her best not to look at Ty Lee. Tries to avoid the fact that this vacation has only made her feelings for that circus freak stronger, and she fears they will broil over at any moment. Mai and Zuko are not helpful in the slightest at distracting Azula, seeing as they are constantly at it like eel hounds.

_What Azula would give to be at it with Ty Lee like eel hounds..._

_ Electric eel hounds perhaps..._

"That was pretty much the most fun thing I've ever done," Mai admits openly as she dashes across the sandy street, Zuko pulling on her arm so hard she thinks it may snap off.

"Mai thought something was fun?" Azula chimes in, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they are not being followed.

"I liked the part where he cried and pleaded!" Ty Lee shrieks from behind before she seizes Azula's arm to catch up. Ty Lee catches a blush on Azula's cheeks when she grabs her and she lets her heart escalate before remembering that there is no way Azula is interested in her.

They make it to the private beach by Lo and Li's house and stop for a moment to catch their breath. Azula glances at Ty Lee and then at her feet, feeling immensely awkward. Tonight is strange. Tonight is very strange.

"Let's break out the liquor and get wasted on the beach," is Ty Lee's bright eyed suggestion, and no one is arguing, although Azula is not quite one for drinking.

They do, somehow. Azula sits in the cold of the beach as Zuko starts up another fire and she realizes they are passing a bottle around of white liquor, like some kind of peasant teenagers or street urchins. It makes Azula feel uncomfortable, and she hates herself for it.

Ty Lee sips from it, screws up her face for a moment, and presses it into Azula's hands. Azula again struggles against the sensual sensation of Ty Lee's fingertips against hers. But, if anything, today proved that Ty Lee wants things to be platonic. That Ty Lee likes boys and make-up and not the princess. At least not in the same way Azula likes her.

Azula sips the liquor and it burns in an oddly pleasant way. She has never drank before because it was not conducive to her father turning her into a weapon. But she winds up liking it. It feels impossible to get hurt as she imbibes herself with more and more, listening and joking and messing with these three idiots.

They are united as friends again for the first time in a long time, and even to Azula it feels good. She only wishes she could be united with Ty Lee in the way she daydreams of so often.

In the blur of alcohol, Mai suddenly makes a remark that shifts the night for Azula. "You know, I don't know why you guys don't just get together," she slurs and Zuko tenses. "You both _obviously _love each other. Go on, make out. Please. For me. Make out. We're drunk on a beach, go ahead."

Azula just blinks. Ty Lee swallows, feeling nervous, unsure what to say. Because she _likes _Azula, Agni, she _loves _Azula, but she is terrified that Azula does not reciprocate.

But Ty Lee feels bold. She feels like she cannot get hurt so she leans forward and before Azula can react, she presses her lips against Azula's. They taste like bonfire and liquor and Azula finds herself liking it. So maybe it is Azula's first kiss and it probably should not be like this, this _gross_ and sandy and drunk.

It is wonderful, though. Beyond wonderful.

In the morning, Azula has never woken up feeling so terrible. She cannot remember how she got back to her bedroom, and the sun is making her want to stab her eyes out instead of breathe in and do firebending exercises. Her mouth tastes like death incarnate.

She closes her eyes for a moment and tries to think about how she got back inside from the beach drinking Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee roped her into after destroying that poor kid's house and desecrating Fire Family memorabilia.

And then she looks to her side, and finds that she is not alone in bed. But she is not naked, which leads her to believe that she hopefully did not drunkenly lose her virginity to the girl she has had a crush on since she first hit puberty.

"Azula...?" murmurs Ty Lee, half asleep. "Ugh. Azula?"

"What did we do last night?" Azula demands, lying down to be close to her. She still smells like a distillery.

"Nothing. You didn't want to..." Ty Lee mumbles and Azula has to give her drunken self points for not caving in so easily to all of her rampant sexual desires. "Azula, I'm in love with you and I wanted you to be jealous. I'm a horrible person. And I really didn't want it to work out with you and a guy at _all_. But that's probably what you want anyway and I was so stupid for thinking that maybe you were jealous of them getting me instead of me getting them..."

She makes a pained expression Azula has rarely seen on Ty Lee's usually happy face. Azula lies down closer to her, trying to summon courage and keep down vomit.

"I didn't think you liked me back," Azula murmurs, trying not to sound excited. She has to play this off as casual and powerful, _has to_.

"You like me?" Ty Lee's eyes suddenly open, despite the pain of the sunlight against them.

"I do. And it kind of took seeing you with horny men to make me really... realize it," Azula says, struggling with the words.

Ty Lee kisses Azula fiercely on the mouth, and it is not the drunken jump of a party girl. It is tender, it is intense, and it means to claim Azula as hers.

And Azula, to her surprise, is quite okay with that.


	58. Gifts from Iroh

A/N: Okay, all of the inspiration for filling this prompt came from endless videos of red pandas playing in the snow. It is the cutest damned thing in all existence.

* * *

_(Theme Fifty-Eight) _**Gifts From Iroh**

_(As Prompted By) _**Don't Touch My Walkman**

"Gifts!" shrieks Azusami, tugging on Azula's legs as she sees Iroh walking into the palace.

Ty Lee frowns for a moment at her lack of etiquette, but Iroh sets himself up for being seen as a gift dispenser by Azusami and Izumi. He hugs Izumi first, who launches herself into his arms, while Azusami is slightly shyer.

Iroh is kind to both of them, but the unease in Azula's eyes always makes Azusami cautious. Something else Ty Lee knows she ought to comment on, but chooses not to in order to make her life easier.

Izumi quickly asks, proving Azusami is not the only greedy princess, "What did you get us? Swords? Hats? Oh-oh-oh mystical Earth Kingdom amulets!"

Iroh chuckles to himself at how much Izumi reminds him of her father, and he gently sets down the small box he is holding. Azula's eyes flash as she sees that it is not a _box_; it is a kennel for an animal. Ty Lee clasps her hands together, trying to hide her excitement.

A pet, finally, a pet.

"Azusami," Iroh says, beckoning. The little girl glances between her mothers and they both nod, and she quickly skitters across the stone floor and presses her face up against the metal grate opening.

"It's a weird furry red thing," Azusami murmurs as Ty Lee pulls her away.

"Don't put your face against things with claws," Ty Lee says, patting her scowling daughter on the head.

"It is a fire ferret," Iroh says, gently unscrewing the metal and releasing an animal that causes the entire room, save for Azula, to coo and gasp from the sheer cuteness.

"Oh, they do amazing tricks," Ty Lee remarks gleefully, remembering her encounters with them at the circus. "And they're very loyal."

Azusami grins as Ty Lee beckons the fire ferret into her hands and sets him on her daughter's lap. The little girl cradles the fire ferret like a baby, smiling, her big golden eyes squeezed shut and her small nose inhaling the smell of Ba Sing Se from its fur.

Izumi squirms impatiently, wanting to hold it.

"They also are good food for pythonacondas," Azula purrs coldly and Iroh cringes slightly. "Azusami, wash your hands when you're done with that thing."

She walks away with a slight coldness in her step, like icy flames that lick the inhabitants of the room. Ty Lee pouts for a moment as the fire ferret instantly starts showing off for Azusami and Izumi.

Azula should absolutely be present for Azusami's first pet. Well, the royal family's first pet. Zuko and Mai have just stumbled into the room belatedly, and Zuko completely ignores his uncle when he sees the fire ferret.

"I don't want to not sound like the Fire Lord right now... but aww, what's his name?" Zuko walks over with such speed he nearly trips over his royal robes, and he kneels beside his daughter, niece and sister-in-law.

"Sparkles," Azusami declares with the regality of Azula.

"I wanted to name him glimmer," Izumi whines, glaring at her cousin. Azusami returns the steely gaze before softening.

"Sparkle Glimmer," Azusami says and Izumi smiles. "Prince Sparkle Glimmer the Fire Ferret."

The new pet makes a squeaking noise, as if in assent, and curls up in Azusami's arms. She buries her face in his fur, seeming incredibly happy. Ty Lee grits her teeth at Azula's absence. Priceless family moment.

"Well, hey there, Prince Sparkle Glimmer." Mai steps forward and joins the small party.

Ty Lee stands up and Azusami looks scared for a moment.

"I'll be right back," Ty Lee says, but she thinks she goes unheard as Prince Sparkle Glimmer starts to sit up on his back paws like he is trying to be people.

_Even Mai is joining in_, Ty Lee can only think to herself as she hunts for Azula.

Azula is locked in their bedroom. Of course. Ty Lee raps on the door several times before Azula sighs and opens it, allowing her wife inside.

"Azula, we finally have a pet." Pause. "It's an important moment for Azusami, and she gets worried when you just leave things."

Azula feels her gut twist. "Don't try to make me feel _guilty_. I have every right to behave how I see fit."

Ty Lee crosses her arms and response, "You do realize that you're a mother, and you have to occasionally sacrifice your own feelings to make her life better."

Azula grits her teeth and shifts her weight from foot to foot. Finally, she collapses onto her bed with a sigh. Ty Lee studies her for a moment.

"Why do you hate pets?" Ty Lee finally dares to ask. She hopes the answer is not too gruesome, as things can be with Azula.

"When I was a kid, my father would get me pets and then give them away a few days later," Azula admits begrudgingly. "I just... ugh. Never mind."

"You associate them with your childhood pain, and so you don't want Azusami to get attached and get hurt," Ty Lee finishes and Azula rolls her eyes.

"I forgot that you were my shrink," Azula purrs and Ty Lee sits down on her lap, straddling her.

"Okay, his name is Prince Sparkle Glimmer of the Fire Nation and you are going to help me choreograph his routine," Ty Lee says, wrapping her legs around Azula's back.

"Prince... what?" Azula laughs and Ty Lee grins. "Children are dumb. Ugh... I suppose I can."

Azula hates making decisions that are not in her best interest and her best interest only, but she _did _see Azusami's face when she saw the fire ferret. And Azula knows she will not inflict the same pain on Azusami that Ozai inflicted on her.

And so she kisses Ty Lee fiercely, ignores the heat between her legs, and she and her wife go to ready Prince Sparkle Glimmer of the Fire Nation for his circus debut.

That is, if they can catch him, seeing as Izumi and Azusami are chasing him through the palace wildly, laughing like lunatics. And then he starts chasing them...

Azula and Ty Lee exchange a glance.

Their family is weird.


	59. Rain & Bonus Oneshot

A/N: Okay, I had a _lot _of requests for a follow-up on Prince Sparkle Glimmer. I made it into a oneshot, but it made more sense to include it in this collection, which means less effort for readers... _however_, I couldn't really fit it to a prompt, so the beginning of this chapter is a prompt-fill, and after it, is the oneshot "Of Paws and Princesses" as a little bonus.

* * *

_(Theme Fifty-Nine) _**Rain**

_(As Prompted By) _**Aya Rose**

Azula has her first wet dream in a tent.

It is awkward, complicated and confusing, and she is just gloriously happy she is not a boy, because _that _would take much more explaining if Mai and Ty Lee saw. She is also fortunate in that Mai and Ty Lee are asleep when she wakes. But her cheeks flush the shade of the Fire Nation flag when she sees that her legs have wrapped themselves around the subject of her dream as she slept, and she panics, not even thinking about untangling them at first.

The fact that Azula is wrapped around Ty Lee after her dream, her hips snug against her companion's skin, has left her in shock and horror. The crush seeping into her dreams where she cannot control those... thoughts and feelings, has left her quite scared.

She does not notice the rain pounding on the red canvas as she stares at Ty Lee. The rain was in her dream, soaking through her clothes, pressing cold against her bare skin. Cold like the night, and Azula is certain her dream is caused by Ty Lee begging her desperately to dry her with her bending after she and Mai's _dip _in the river after fighting the water peasants.

Azula needs to be focusing on capturing Zuko. Uncle is wounded, the Avatar cannot be far from here. But instead, her brain wants to live in sexual fantasies about her best childhood friend. Puberty is horrible and should be outlawed.

As she tries to free herself, made uncomfortable by the relative _dampness_, Ty Lee wakes up. Azula, at that moment, wants to set the tent on fire to escape instead of look her directly in her eyes after dreaming about doing such unsavory things with her.

"Azula," Ty Lee says warmly, studying the princess closely. And Azula is struck by the thought that in her dream, she had imagined her hands slipping over the girl so innocent grinning at her, feeling her hardened nipples and...

"I have to get water," Azula stammers, diving out into the rain. She is covered in disgusting Earth Kingdom mud within a few moments, but she needed to escape.

There is _nothing _more humiliating than waking up with your wet legs wrapped around the subject of your _wet _dream. And now she is wet with _rain_, soaking through her clothes. And she sees behind her eyes Ty Lee's hands brushing over her naked body through her clothes, feeling her, and how good they were against her skin.

And then someone grabs Azula's slippery arm, shielding her head from the rain with some loose paper.

"Where are you running to?" Ty Lee asks softly, looking Azula up and down. The princess averts her eyes. Ty Lee is silent for a moment. "Did I do something wrong? You look mad at me?"

"It is nothing of your concern," Azula says coldly, trying to keep her voice as detached as possible.

"You can be honest," Ty Lee prods, touching Azula's wrist. Azula tries to ignore the arousal that such a _basic _and _innocent _touch brings to her. "I... I felt you wrapped around me. Is that why you were mad? Because, if this isn't out of line, and I probably shouldn't say this to the princess, but... it felt pretty good. You were very warm..."

"I..." Azula hesitates. She supposes she has nothing to _lose _from honesty, even if it is something she does not usually indulge in. "I had a... dream about you. A... sex dream."

Azula instantly regrets what she says. Her heart leaps into her throat as she realizes that this is _definitely _not something you tell your crush. It is just short of telling them that you masturbate with them in mind, which Azula makes mental note to _never _let herself do, no matter how soaking and cold she is in the rain or how strange her situation is.

"Was I good?" is Ty Lee's only question.

Princess Azula is stunned by that reaction. She certainly did not expect it.

"Yes, you were quite good," Azula whispers, and she sees Ty Lee's lips moving towards hers.

They kiss there, kissing in the rain, the cold water making their bodies so exposed. Azula feels almost naked, her hips pressed against Ty Lee's.

The long, tender kiss in the rural Earth Kingdom.

Reality, Azula decides, is far better than her dreams.

* * *

_**And...**_

* * *

**Of Paws and Princesses**

**... The Adventures of Prince Sparkle Glimmer the Fire Nation Fire Ferret ...**

* * *

"What do fire ferrets eat?" Mai asks, her chin on the table that Prince Sparkle Glimmer is perched on. Her amber eyes are locked with his glistening yellow ones. "I mean, Azula has made it clear that pythanacondas eat fire ferrets. But what does _he _eat?"

Iroh just shrugs and Zuko sighs.

"Uncle, you didn't ask the pet shop owner? Or buy a guide?" Zuko inquires, rubbing his temples.

"I should've probably just gotten the lizards." Iroh strokes his beard as Mai continues to stare at the strange beast. "Lizards are easy to care for. Or a cat, they take care of themselves pretty much..."

Zuko sighs at his uncle's ramblings and reaches his hand around the breakfast table, trying to find something that _looks _like what a fire ferret would eat.

"... berries? Do you like berries?" Zuko shoves them towards Prince Sparkle Glimmer, who sniffs for a moment, and then puts one into his mouth. It clearly is distasteful, as he spits it up onto the table and struts over to Izumi, whom pats him on the head.

Azula and Ty Lee then walk into the room, not drowsy in their pajamas, but entirely dressed and made-up. _And _clutching shopping bags.

"We took the liberty of stopping by the exotic pet shop in the Yunnan District," Azula purrs haughtily, looking at her family and the laziness that Iroh seems to have imparted onto him. "Prince Sparkle Glimmer," Azula says sharply and he turns to face her.

"_Aww_, he knows his name," Ty Lee coos, bouncing from foot to foot.

Azula withdraws bamboo and mulberry leaves from a small cloth bag labeled with those plants. Prince Sparkle Glimmer runs away from Izumi and attacks the bag, clearly starving half to death. Azula smirks smugly at her accomplishment as Zuko sighs and Iroh smiles at her.

"They also eat household pests and birds, so I assume we can set him loose in the courtyards," Azula says with a small shrug. She pats Prince Sparkle Glimmer on the head, scratches under his chin, and then he seizes her hand, pressing it to his chest and refusing to let go as she shrieks in horror.

Zuko chuckles and Mai's lips twitch with a satisfied smile.

"Azula, he wants you to be his mommy," Ty Lee says and Azula's eyes widen as she tries to shake the creature of her. But its sharp claws only dig deeper into its skin.

"Mother, please adopt him!" Azusami shouts from the other side of the room, entirely abandoning her breakfast that she ordered servants to remake at least ten times. "I want him to be my brother!"

"_No_!" Izumi shouts, as Azula is still trying to gently pry the clinging fire ferret off of her skin. "He's going to be my brother!"

"He's not holding your mother!" Azusami shrieks at her cousin, whom only scowls in return. Then Azusami hesitates and glares at her gilded plate for a moment. "We're _basically _sisters, anyway."

Izumi smiles, her tears drying instantly. Zuko would find it adorable, if it weren't for Azula murmuring obscenities and tugging on a very determined fire ferret.

Iroh just chuckles at the entire scene.

xXxXx

After being fed, it seems that Prince Sparkle Glimmer has decided upon his mother. And she is not enthused. Azula still was not able to pry off Prince Sparkle Glimmer, and so she is now holding him to her chest like a baby.

"He thinks you're his mommy," Ty Lee squeals, poking its ear and then blushing. Azula looks at the claws dug into her skin as Prince Sparkle Glimmer tries to force himself into her clothes. "That's so cute, oh, Azula."

Zuko snorts, finding this beyond hilarious. Azula's look of horror as her new fire ferret baby clings to her and tugs at her shirt is possibly the funniest thing he has ever seen in his life. Mai shakes slightly with silent giggles as Izumi scowls at her pet paying so much attention to her aunt.

Azula just sighs and accepts her fate. Eventually, the two children tire of Prince Sparkle Glimmer and the sun dips far below the horizon, the moon rising.

"Alright, Prince Sparkle Glimmer is going to sleep now," Azula says, relieved to be rid of him, carrying the fire ferret towards the little nest Izumi set up for him with Iroh's help. But he does not let go. Azula yelps in pain as she tries to pry his claws from her skin.

"He can sleep with us," Ty Lee says warmly, poking Prince Sparkle Glimmer's nose.

"... _no_," is Azula's forceful response. "Because he sleeps in our bed once, he thinks he can sleep in there every night. And there are things we do in our bed that this little creature should have no part in."

"_Azuuuuuuuuuula_..." Ty Lee whines, bouncing from foot to foot.

"No." Azula looks at Prince Sparkle Glimmer's hopeful eyes, then Ty Lee's begging grin, and then Azusami batting her eyes and sighs. "Alright, fine. Come on, you lucky little ferret."

Azula carries him to her bed and tucks him in, sitting down and sighing again.

"Pet parents," Ty Lee declares, scratching Prince Sparkle Glimmer's ears excitedly.

xXxXx

"No, he's mine!" shrieks Izumi, clutching a horrified Prince Sparkle Glimmer to her chest. Azusami has just lunged for him and he clings to Izumi for dear life with his claws.

"Nuh-uh!" squeals Izumi's younger cousin as she reaches for him again. Azusami latches herself onto Izumi's back, wrapping her arms around as much of Prince Sparkle Glimmer as she can reach. He looks even more frightened now as a four armed monster clutches him.

"Dad, get her off!" Izumi screams as Prince Sparkle Glimmer tries to burrow into her shirt. "He's mine and I'm holding him and I just started holding him!"

Zuko takes a step towards them, and then a step back. He is not touching this one with a ten foot pole. Ty Lee swoops in and snatches Prince Sparkle Glimmer out from between them, gliding like an airbender and tucking him into her clothes. The relief in his yellow eyes is evident as Izumi and Azusami continue fighting each other until they realize he is gone.

Ty Lee winks at the Fire Lord and disappears into the other room.

xXxXx

Azusami is terrified of starting school. She spent the entire night vomiting with her mothers trying to somehow console her. Azula progressively made it worse with what she thought was comforting Azusami, and Ty Lee was genuinely unsure what else to say.

The _horror _stories Izumi decided to tell her about the Ladies Academy certainly have not helped.

Finally, Azusami gets to sleep, and is woken in the morning by her mom, who helps her get dressed into her uniform and combs her hair, while she is still yawning. Ty Lee hands Azusami her bag, which the young princess almost forgets, and sends her off with a royal guard and her cousin.

When Azusami reaches the school, she turns to Izumi as they are escorted inside.

"My bag is... wriggling..." Azusami murmurs, suddenly convinced some kind of beast has followed her and made today even worse. "_Izumi_, open it!"

The guards stop in place, turning to make sure the princess is alright. Izumi scuttles around behind Azusami and opens the top of her bag. She smirks faintly and closes it.

"It's nothing," she says to the guards, and as soon as she and Azusami are dropped off into the Agni Temple that was repurposed into a morning meeting room, she takes Azusami's bag from her and gently opens it. "Look."

Azusami's golden eyes light up when she sees Prince Sparkle Glimmer has forced himself inside. He chirps at her and she grins.

Perhaps her first day of school will not be as terrible as she thought.

xXxXx

"The crown doesn't, ugh, fit," Ty Lee snarls as Prince Sparkle Glimmer sits very still. He is, Azula has to admit, easier to dress than Azusami somehow. The fire ferret has yet to try to poke out someone's eye with his crown to keep from wearing it.

"He's going to eat your face off," Azula chuckles, watching Ty Lee try to tug up his short red fur. "Then I'll be forced to divorce you."

"You do it, then!" Ty Lee snaps, thrusting the crown into Azula's hands. Prince Sparkle Glimmer starts looking around for escape.

"ZuZu," Azula croons as her brother brushes past, "help put the crown on Prince Sparkle Glimmer."

Zuko steps around the corner, his expression softening at the sight of his pet. _And _his childhood crown that his sister and sister-in-law are trying to force onto a fire ferret's head.

"I thought you said he would eat my face off," Ty Lee hisses as Zuko sits down and takes the crown from Azula, scratching Prince Sparkle Glimmer under the chin, to a small purring sound.

"It's not like anyone would notice if Zuko got his face eaten off," Azula replies and Zuko shoots her a murderous glare. "And then Prince Sparkle Glimmer could be Fire Lord... He'd probably be more competent."

"Azula, I am more competent than a fire ferret," Zuko grumbles under his breath as he tries to get the crown onto his pet's head. "And he's not a real prince."

"I adopt him as my child," Azula says, stroking his paw. "Is that legal? I just made it legal. Ty Lee, write that down! It is now legal for me to adopt Prince Sparkle Glimmer as my second child."

"And you didn't even want a pet," Zuko says, giving up and setting the crown down. "You love him so much."

"I am sworn to love and defend my Fire Lord," Azula replies, precariously balancing the crown on Prince Sparkle Glimmer and bowing pointedly. "It is my honor to serve you, Fire Lord Sparkle Glimmer."

Zuko rolls his eyes. "If I got half the respect of this fire ferret..."

xXxXx

"Mother," Azusami snarls after trying to get Azula's attention for two minutes, which is about a thousand years in six-year-old-time. "Mother, why do you love Prince Sparkle Glimmer more than me?"

Azula sighs, looking over at her daughter, who seems to need something the moment Azula is done with her work. Or perhaps while Azula still has plenty of work to do. She has been cooing sweet nothings to Prince Sparkle Glimmer, curled up in a small parlor out of the way of the family, and Azusami has intruded.

"I don't love Prince Sparkle Glimmer more than you," Azula replies earnestly, still stroking the fire ferret's ears.

"Then why do you pay more attention to him than me?" Azusami crosses her arms with a fierce expression. The _Ozai glare_.

"I don't have to answer this," Azula mutters, looking deeply into the eyes of Prince Sparkle Glimmer.

Azusami stomps her feet and exits the room.

xXxXx

Azula's knees touch her chin as she tries to stifle the sound of her sobs. She does not want anyone to know that she is crying, the tears streaming from her golden eyes.

Every night, she escapes her nightmares and there is no relief in waking. And today she had such a terrible vision that she could barely hide, could barely escape to her room and allow herself to crumble out of the sight of others.

Suddenly, her weight is displaced slightly on the bed as something small joins her. _Prince Sparkle Glimmer_.

"Go away. I don't have anything for you," Azula hisses, her voice constricted with emotion.

He crawls onto her lap and she does not have the energy to push him away.

And then he starts to lick away her tears, as if he can comprehend her pain.

Azula touches his back and feels the small relief that his consoling brings.

xXxXx

Azula and Ty Lee lie down, Prince Sparkle Glimmer curled up with them after a long day of playing and bouncing around and doing tricks, a life of which Azula is greatly envious. She wishes _she _could just do that all day instead of actually _working_. He nestles between them happily, as he does every night, and Azula frowns for a moment.

She thinks she has actually bonded with this little fur creature. Her fingers keep creeping to pet him, and she does not even mind being blockaded from her wife by his small body.

Ty Lee looks through Prince Sparkle Glimmer's orange fur at Azula and smiles faintly.

Azula turns over, not wanting this to turn into some sappy display of emotion. Claws touch her shoulder blades and she resigns herself to her fate.

Princess Azula, daughter of Former Fire Lord Ozai, wife of Ty Lee, mother of Princess Azusami... mother of Prince Sparkle Glimmer the Fire Ferret.

**e**nd

xXxXx

* * *

A/N: I feel so weird putting a oneshot into a chapter like this; I hope people don't mind; I just felt like I was saving the hassle of going to my profile to read a separate fic for the requested story. More drabbles coming soon.

_Also: _shameless promo ─ this afternoon I'm posting a new multichap Tyzula fic, The Company of Dragons, if that's anything you're interested in. It's been in the works for some time, and I'm finally releasing it.


	60. Swingset

_(Theme Sixty) _**Swingset**

_(As Prompted By) _**DearLemonLima**

**_96 AG..._**

"There are only two swings," whines Ty Lee, looking forlornly at the playground on Ember Island.

"Well, clearly, I will take one, and you and Mai can battle for the second," Azula says and Ty Lee glares at her while she is not looking.

Mai shrugs, and then bolts to claim the extra swing, leaving Ty Lee in the dust.

"You can always push me, Ty Lee!" Azula calls and Ty Lee has to wrestle herself to not roll her eyes.

**_98 AG..._**

On Ember Island, Azula, Mai and Ty Lee are on a playground.

"There are only two swings, you see," Azula explains sweetly yet commandingly as she sits down on one of them. Mai and Ty Lee exchange a glance, narrowing their eyes at each other. "Ty Lee, push me. Mai, you can take the other."

They do not protest, although it is unfair. Mai twists around in circles, a fire pop lodged in her mouth that is likely a severe choking hazard. They have been abandoned in a park on Ember Island, handed candy and surrounded by a few extremely bored soldiers as Mai's mother and father deal with their newborn son.

Ty Lee sets her hands on Azula's back and pushes her once, and then slips into the motion of it. Mai watches with narrowed eyes, noticing the tiny blush on Azula's cheeks when Ty Lee's hands adjust across her back. But any true observation of the relationship is killed by Ty Lee jabbering on about... _something _or another. Mai is intently focused on slowly devouring her lollipop and twisting the swing around until it hopefully snaps.

This is, Mai thinks, their friendship explained. Two swings. One person guaranteed a seat, the other up for grabs... only she thinks that perhaps Ty Lee would rather be pushing Azula than wrestling Mai for a swing.

Ugh, it's cute and repulsive.

**_100 AG..._**

On Ember Island, Azula has spent the entire night tossing and turning, trying to sort out how to confront this issue. She can see the glimpses, the glances, the faces she and Ty Lee make at each other. The cold embers masking the fact that they both are trying to deny an unstoppable force pushing them together.

It is early morning, and Azula is looking for a place to train that is not this repulsive summer home neighborhood. Ty Lee follows her, seeming to be in a good mood. She cried herself to sleep last night and therefore feels _very _refreshed.

"Okay, I can't do this," Azula sighs, examining Ty Lee closely in the early morning glow. "I don't know who we're kidding."

Ty Lee blinks, pretending not to understand. But _of course _she understands.

"I don't know what you mean, princess," Ty Lee offers and Azula sighs. "Oh look, swings!"

Azula then finds herself being pushed on a swing before she can fully comprehend the situation. She spins around on it, stunning Ty Lee, and then they are face to face.

"Alright, let me be honest with you. You _are _a tease, but you're not teasing those boys. You're teasing _me_."

"... that's not... intentional." Ty Lee's eyes are wide, wider than usual.

"I know." Azula hesitates and Ty Lee swallows.

She does not quite know how to remedy this. A lot of things have been twisted and strange for Azula and Ty Lee, but the moment she punched her way through admirers and ran to Azula... Ty Lee supposes that made her intentions clear.

_Maybe _she is a tease, but she teases Azula because she just wants her to _bite._

"I like you a lot," Azula says and Ty Lee does not know what to make of the abrupt honesty.

"I like you too."

"As more than friends." Azula is surprisingly not... _awkward _about this moment. She seems to have given it clear thought, and has seized true control over a situation she felt powerless in.

"I like you as more than friends too."

Azula smirks. "As I thought."

Ty Lee leans forward, presses her lips against Azula's fiercely, finally knowing the kiss _does _mean something, and they promptly topple, screaming, over the side of the swing and onto the gravel and black sand.

**_132 AG..._**

On Ember Island, Zuko has invited Toph and her two kids to visit, and somehow Azula, Ty Lee and Azusami got roped into the vacation.

Azula watches Izumi, Azusami and Lin playing on the swings of the palace. She keeps feeling her heart pound when Azusami takes her turn on the rickety set, and Azula would order some servant to fix it if she did not want to ruin her daughter having friends.

_Healthy _friends, unlike Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. And Azula happens to like Lin's mother, which is an oddity amongst Izumi and Azusami's friends, Fire Nation and non-Fire Nation alike. And the way Azusami blushes and curls her lip slightly at Lin, who is completely oblivious, reminds Azula of she and Ty Lee.

"They're so cute," Ty Lee says, wrapping her arm around Azula and making her jump.

"_Don't _sneak up on me," Azula snaps, more viciously than she would like to. Having a panic attack in front of the child of Toph would be humiliating on a number of levels, and probably embarrass Azusami in front of her first crush.

Ty Lee kisses Azula's cheek and tries to remedy scaring her. She kind of likes how damaged her wife is, as terrible as that sounds.

The swing snaps and Azula chokes on her tea before managing to swallow it, to great pain in her throat. Azusami hits the ground and her eyes widen, her cheeks turn bright red and Izumi snickers. Lin, whom Azula imagines would be as mocking as Toph would be if such a thing happened to Azula, helps Azusami to her feet and with no small feat of metalbending, repairs the swing that has been broken since Zuko was banished.

They exchange a small smile.

And Ty Lee smirks at Azula, jabs her ribs and nods.

Azula rolls her eyes. "Our daughter will date an earthbender over my dead body."

"Mmm..." Ty Lee just smirks wider.


	61. Manicure of Terror

_(Theme Sixty-One) _**Manicure of Terror**

_(As Prompted By) _**Aya Rose**

Azula finds out the hard way why a symbol of nobility and very useful method of poking out eyes and slitting throats of her enemies is not cohesive with her sex life.

She is in the middle of a _very _pleasant afternoon with Ty Lee, as Mai and Zuko are off doing their fucking, and she sinks into her girlfriend. The secret trysts are exciting, and they are latched onto each other in passion. It feels more heated than usual, more so than strip teases and make-out sessions by the pier.

They both have always been more reluctant sexually, mostly on Azula's account. But Azula is driven to orgasm by the fingers of her girlfriend, and she intends solely to return the favor. It is at that point that Ty Lee screams, "That is like daggers in my cunt!" and Azula pulls out faster than a bolt of lightning.

"Sorry, sorry," Azula murmurs, the heat and passion of the tryst now dead as Ty Lee whimpers in brief pain and glares at Azula for a moment.

"The nails have to go," Ty Lee says and Azula shakes her head regally.

"Don't order me around, Ty Lee. Remember your place," she says sharply and Ty Lee barely manages not to roll her eyes. "My nails are a symbol of my status, and they are sharpened to intimidate my enemies."

Ty Lee just sighs and flops down onto the pillow. "Ugh, fine. Just, please, princess, I humbly beg of you, don't do that again. You have a tongue, with all due respect."

Azula supposes she cannot argue with that logic, and it lets her keep her beloved nails.

* * *

It is during a pleasant reunion with Ty Lee that they run into an archaic problem. They are far more advanced in these tumbles as adults, long after Azula's return to her home and Ty Lee's long distance relationship that means when they are together, _they are together_.

Azula's hand drivels down Ty Lee's loose Fire Nation shirt, and Ty Lee guides her hand to exactly where she wants it. Until she realizes that this is going to be a _terrible _idea and she pulls away. Azula looks at her with the tilt of her head of a confused poodle-monkey.

"If you want us to keep fucking, the nails have to go," Ty Lee says and Azula opens and closes her mouth. She looks for a moment as if she will summon some authority she no longer has, but she sighs and pouts like a child.

"My nails are incredibly important to me," Azula purrs, examining them closely. How she loves them, and how the light reflects on them, and they extend so far past her fingers.

Ty Lee sighs. "Then I guess no sex."

"Alright, that's absurd," Azula snarls, her golden eyes flashing like crackling embers. Ty Lee just shrugs and lies down, her head resting on Azula's pillow. "It's not as if this bothered you before."

"Relationships are about sacrifice sometimes. Little sacrifices, and this is... well, kind of a serious relationship at this point. And I know you're opening your mouth right now to deny it, but we've been seriously involved for four years now, to the extent of me going across the _ocean _to visit you every month," Ty Lee says in a girlish, blithe tone that does not at all match the cruel severity of her request.

Azula rubs her lips... with her beautiful fingernails.

"I will take it into consideration," she purrs.

Ty Lee just raises her eyebrows and reclines on the plush bed.

* * *

It takes exactly four months of visits without any physical contact for Azula to cave in, along with her forcing Mai to do it along with her. Mai stares at her sharp fingernails of nobility, painted a shade of black despite being far too old to be wearing it.

Azula sits down and sighs as Ty Lee returns with a golden pair of scissors. _Snip, snip_. And Azula's heart nearly stops.

"I can't do this!" she exclaims, pulling away. Mai grabs her wrist and pins her to the table. "Stop it!"

"We're not cutting off your _fingers_, for Agni's sake," Mai groans. "So help me, if I hear another entitled monologue about how physically lonely you are, I might peel your skin off. So, what'll it be, Azula, your skin or your nails?"

Azula glares at Mai, the Ozai glare, but it seems to have no effect on the weapons master. Azula sighs.

"Mai goes first," she orders and Mai rolls her amber eyes before extending her hands.

She finds that she is in a panic as well as Ty Lee starts to clip, and Mai watches her manicurists hard work disappear. Her throat has a strange lump in it, as if an extension of her body has been chopped off with the tips of her nails.

Ty Lee swiftly files them, and Mai has to admit they look nice. They still easily pass for noble nails, and have a nice shine to them.

Mai holds up her hands. "It's not that bad, princess. Just close your eyes and take deep breaths."

Azula glowers at Mai before giving in, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She feels the pressure of the scissors, and how quickly Ty Lee is making work of her fingernails.

And Azula screams, screams so loudly that the entire palace is roused. The soldiers meant to keep Azula from harming others bolt into the room, now intending to protect the princess.

"It's okay... she's just getting a manicure," Mai says, waving at the guards to leave.

Azula devolves into sobs as she studies her nails, giving up all of her dignity in front of Mai and Ty Lee.

Ty Lee gently rubs her back as Azula cries and Mai stifles laughter.

"It's all going to be okay," Ty Lee whispers, caressing Azula's face. "I'm glad you gave in because I _literally _cannot wait any longer to do you again."

Mai grimaces and Azula's tears sniffle to a stop.

Sacrifices, such fantastic sex has to involve sacrifices at some point.

It was too good to come without a price, Azula is sure.


	62. Adoption

_(Theme Sixty-Two) _**Adoption**

_(As Prompted By) _**A Kingdom of Isolation**

Slamming her way into the kitchen of the Jasmine Dragon, Azula throws her apron into the sink (again) and Iroh sighs (again) and she slumps against the wall (again). This is how it goes almost every afternoon, seeing as Azula cannot finish a single shift without throwing a fit. She does not like the customers, or how they tell her what to do, or how they flirt with her wife. And the Jasmine Dragon is a damned tinderbox, so Iroh better make some _changes_, in her mind.

Iroh is trying his best to work with Azula, but he has to admit he does not always enjoy her working for him. Zuko said she had to do it for six months to learn a lesson, and he said there was no better person for Azula to learn from. Iroh just took a deep breath and went with it, only relieved by the fact that Ty Lee was joining his niece.

"It is a beautiful day out," Iroh says calmly, offering Azula some kind of _peace offering _smile. "Perhaps you should go for a calming walk."

"Maybe I will," Azula says sharply, in the tone of an insolent child, despite being well into her twenties. She examines herself in a shining teapot Iroh just finished cleaning and deems herself presentable in public.

She passes Ty Lee, whom is happily serving customers and making Azula want to flay her alive with fire, incredible sex or not. When Azula reaches the cold air, she feels a wave of relief in her body and her bones. The Earth Kingdom smells awful to her, but she has decided she does not mind the cold weather.

Or this forced vacation Zuko made her go on. Although, it is a bit absurd calling this a _vacation _when Azula and Ty Lee have been working like slaves for a horrible old man who spits out proverbs and continuously tries to feed Azula blueberries for breakfast despite her protests.

It was not like anyone who wasn't a criminal in the New Ozai Society died in Azula's little rampage. And she had _very _good reason; the rebel bastards put Ty Lee on the verge of death because Azula double crossed them in favor of her wife. Zuko said they should wait in the palace and stay guarded at all times.

Azula disagreed. She decided to kill _every last one of them_.

Zuko sent her out of the country for six months until he could sort out the mess she made; it was evidently a punishment, but he said it was like a vacation, after which he nervously laughed and averted his eyes. Apparently Fire Lord Zuko frowns on vigilante justice. She would, however, gladly take the Boiling Rock over working for Iroh in Ba Sing Se. This has to be some kind of cruel joke that Azula just does not get.

She walks through the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, feeling incredibly bitter about the fact that the city is not hers, and more bitter about the fact that she deserves to be in Caldera now, or at least relaxing on Ember Island or in a nice mountain spa.

Ba Sing Se is rarely anything interesting, at least to her. Ty Lee seems to find something exciting about the city every time they go out together. Which Azula finds endearing, and the only redeeming quality of her temporary exile is the fact that she has Ty Lee with her.

But today, something interesting happens to Azula on her lonely walk. She sees police going after a girl no more than five years old, with no parents nearby, and looking about to cry.

Azula is about to turn around and pretend she was never here, until she sees the girl's yellow eyes and light brown hair. It is the eyes that make Azula stay on the scene, realizing she is likely screwing herself, as the child sees her, seems to get an idea and shouts, "Mom!"

_No, no, no..._

The police turn from the little girl and look at Azula, who somehow manages to remain calm.

"Are you her mother, ma'am?" inquires the brawnier officer and the little girl nods feverishly behind their backs.

"Yes," Azula says confidently, knowing she will regret this. "What did she do this time?"

One of the officers crosses his arms, the other exchanges a glance with his companion.

"We just caught her firebending," the same officer says and Azula is suddenly very glad that she intervened. The kid obviously was on to something.

"I'm sorry. I just lost track of her for a moment," Azula purrs, hastily grabbing the strange little child's hand. The little girl looks at her, blinking with yellowish eyes. "I promise to keep her better under control in the future."

The officers look at each other again, and shrug. "We just have to go to the Upper Ring Station to write up this report, and you two can be on your way."

_Agni_, and Azula has gotten herself into yet another mess. She curses Zuko in her head as she and the strange little girl are led by the police officers to the station. It is busy inside, surprisingly busy for this wealthy area, and Azula and the little girl are seated in a waiting area until they can be spoken to. If Azula recalls correctly, firebending within the walls is penalized rather harshly and she thinks she might have gotten herself into even deeper trouble than she did on her vengeance rampage in Caldera.

"You, kid," Azula whispers and the girl looks at her, "what's your name, how old are you and where are your parents?"

"I'm Kyoto, I'm almost eight and my... my parents are gone," she says, studying Azula closely. "When my mommy died my daddy left and I'm on my own. The police were going to take me to an orphanage if they caught me and I'm sorry I lied, miss, but I didn't want to go there. I was there for a while but the kids beat me up and everything because of my firebending and..."

It somehow seems even darker coming from the small, innocent voice of a seven year old. Azula sincerely hopes that, if she saves this orphan, that will be enough to convince Zuko to take her home. Or at least impress Ty Lee, who keeps insisting that Azula do kind things for people instead of being openly cruel.

Azula swallows and locks eyes with the police officer who gestures for she and Kyoto to come into a small, stone office. She helps Kyoto onto the chair beside her and clasps her hands on the table.

"You might be worried about the penalties," the officer says, his voice low and gravelly, but calm all the same. He shuffles through a jumbled mess of scrolls and folded up parchment, nearly knocking over a container of ink multiple times. "But it's usually forgiven in children who were born shortly after the Occupation of 100 AG."

The princess hides her surprise at that sudden fact. _She _caused that occupation. And it only takes a split second to guess why firebending in children of that age is not as forbidden as with adults or teenagers. Azula feels her stomach twist with a weird and alien feeling, as she realizes that Kyoto's dad probably left because he wasn't her dad.

"Just tell me what I have to do and we will be on our way and out of trouble," Azula purrs and the man seems relieved. If there is anything she knows how to do, it is persuade her way out of a nasty situation.

"Simply fill out these forms to report the incident of ─ uh ─?"

"Kyoto," Azula says and Kyoto smiles at her.

"Kyoto's firebending incident."

Azula has no clue what actually happened, but she fills out the forms and signs as Kyoto's parent, filling it out with a fake name, despite her being in the Earth Kingdom completely legally as Princess Azula. It would not take much digging to find out Azula does not have a child, but Jin Odaya... well...

"Thank you for your time, sir," Azula says smoothly before grabbing Kyoto by the arm and leaving the police station as quickly as she can without attracting too much attention.

"Please, allow me to escort you home," offers a policeman with bright green eyes and tan skin eagerly. Azula just stares at him, wondering if a lie has ever gotten her into this much of a mess before. "You would be surprised at how dangerous the Upper Ring is at dusk."

Azula looks at Kyoto, whom she was just about to drop off at the nearest place of business and get back to the Jasmine Dragon, and then looks at the officer. He clearly is into the single mom thing... hm. Ick.

"I actually was at work and still have to finish my shift," Azula says with a silent prayer to any spirit that could possibly be listening. _Please let me get out of this..._

"I'll take you there," he says and Azula has to give him points for enthusiasm. It _does _feel nice to be desired instead of her wife.

And so, she is walked, with Kyoto latched to her arm, to the Jasmine Dragon, where she bids the officer goodnight and goes inside. And _then _he comes in for a cup of tea. Azula's eyes flash at Iroh, alerting him that something is wrong, and he walks to the teashop.

"Were you arrested?" Iroh asks in concern and Azula shakes her head.

The officer interjects before Azula can say anything, "She and her daughter just had to file a report. It's no big deal, happens all the time. So, I heard this is the best tea shop in the entire Earth Kingdom..."

Azula slips past her uncle with Kyoto in hand as her escort starts jabbering to the stunned speechless Dragon of the West. She clambers up the stairs and finds Ty Lee starting to make dinner, still wearing her uniform apron, but with her shoes kicked off and in the corner.

"Hi, Azula," she says, kissing the princess on the lips before noticing the elbow leech clinging to her. "Who is that?"

"Uh... this is Kyoto..." Azula says with a small grimace.

"Hi," Kyoto says, waving once as if being kidnapped by the Fire Nation Princess is an everyday occurrence.

Ty Lee touches her lips, then makes a small groaning sound in the back of her throat, and finally kneels in front of Kyoto. She examines the child closely, and then has a similarly stunned expression when she sees the girl's yellow eyes. And with the light brown Earth Kingdom hair, to Ty Lee, she almost looks like she could be she and Azula's child.

"Why don't you go color with Iroh's painting set over on the table," Ty Lee suggests, pointing, and Kyoto obliges. "She looks worse off than a stray cat, Azula. We should feed her, probably. Unless her parents are looking for her."

"She's an orphan," Azula admits, watching the child crack open the paints and start brushing them along a sheet of parchment. "... and I may have told the police that I'm her mother."

Ty Lee's lips part in surprise. "Why would you do that?"

"She's a firebender, and she got caught firebending... She called me mom when they were going to arrest her, and I just panicked," Azula says, throwing her arms up and leaning against the wall. "Ty Lee, it's our fault that she was in that situation. Her mom died and her father abandoned her because of the soldiers _we _sent into this city."

The acrobat looks at Azula with sparkling eyes. "_You _do have a heart!" She kisses Azula on the lips before returning her gaze to the orphan in Iroh's living room.

"I wanted to just drop her off by some shop or something, but this asshole decided to _escort me home_," Azula says and Ty Lee's excitement about Azula's compassion fades. _Of course_ she would just abandon an orphan again, regardless of her feelings of responsibility for the child's misfortune.

"I know you don't believe in fate or auras or vibrations," Ty Lee says and Azula sighs, knowing this cannot lead to anything good. "But I'm pretty sure there's a reason that it was you who ran into Kyoto on the street today, and a reason she told them you were her mother. I think we should adopt her."

Azula tries to look inconvenienced by rolling her eyes, but she is not opposed to the idea.

And that is the tale of how Azula's lying habit, conquest of Ba Sing Se and punishment of working for Iroh for six months led to her becoming a mother.

* * *

A/N: I know this is a fairly outlandish story, but I felt like I had to do something interesting with the prompt of Ty Lee and Azula adopting a child. This might actually show up in one of my future fics, possibly, but with a less flimsy background.


	63. Sniffles

_(Theme Sixty-Two) _**Sniffles**

_(As Prompted By) _**HeavenBesideYou13**

"No, stay away," Azula snarls, nearly toppling over a chair as the small child reaches for her, grasping with mucus coated hands. "You're infectious. Take three steps back and stand still!"

Azusami wails and Azula sighs, her maternal instincts beating her survival instincts in a vicious internal Agni Kai. She picks up her daughter and carries her to the most comfortable sofa in the palace, tucking her in and hoping she will not become ill as well.

"It's just a cold," Azula purrs, brushing her daughter's sweaty hair out of her small face. Azusami pouts her lips and glares at her mother before trying to burrow into the sofa and go to sleep.

Ty Lee enters the room beaming, clearly unaware that Azusami might as well have the Earth Kingdom plague, in Azula's eyes.

"Kiri Chuanshuo is having her birthday party tonight. It'll be people from school we haven't seen in forever," Ty Lee says excitedly.

"I thought Mai and Zuko were in Republic City on business and we can't leave the palace. Particularly to go to birthdays of a girl who got arrested for... an assassination? Or was it vandalism of a peace memorial?" Azula says, taking her outer robe off and trying to wipe the sweat off of her quivering daughter. Azusami looks at her with glittering koala-otter eyes that she learned from Ty Lee, and Azula struggles to resist helping her.

"Well, Iroh is in town making sure you don't start another genocide, so he can watch Azusami and the Fire Nation, and we can go to a party." Ty Lee claps her hands enthusiastically and Azusami coughs and moans. "I'm a social flutter bat and... she's sick, isn't she?"

Ty Lee pouts and goes to examine Azusami.

Azula stares at her wife. "She looks awful."

"It's not the worst I've seen," Ty Lee says with a small shrug, although she does go to summon a teacup for her daughter.

Princess Azula swallows in frustration... and finds that her throat is sore.

_Dear Agni, no..._

* * *

Hours later, Azula and Azusami are curled on the same sofa, sick and demanding Ty Lee's incessant attention. The acrobat is about to snap both of their necks in her frustration.

"Ty Lee," whines Azula, reaching out with her clammy hands to grab the skirt of her wife. "Ty Lee take care of me. Take care of us. Don't you love your family?"

Ty Lee looks at the scene, Azula wrapped in a blanket, somehow managing to make a cold look like the verge of death, and Azusami tightly nestled in her arms, sleeping with her mouth wide open. She sighs, groans, and decides to bear it.

"What is it you need? Azula, I have to go to Kiri Chuanshuo's birthday party in like─"

"You are abandoning me? To my death? For a party?" Azula shrieks, her eyes suddenly wide and her face now more fiercely red than sallow. Azusami wakes up, squints, and sneezes and whimpers. "Look at what you've done to our child."

Ty Lee rolls her eyes. "Okay, I won't go to the party..."

"You're lying," Azula says, cocking an eyebrow and brushing Azusami's sweat soaked hair out of her eyes. "You are not a social flutter-bat, you are a social _moth-wasp_ and you've destroyed your family forever..."

She lies back and closes her eyes for dramatic effect. Her crown, which was barely holding on, clashes to the floor and she does not even flinch. Ty Lee purses her lips and Azusami hands her an empty teacup, sticky with honey.

"And quickly," Azusami says before glancing at Azula and imitating her to near perfection.

Ty Lee looks at Azula and Azusami, drenched in the sweat of the common cold and playing dead, slowly shakes her head, and goes to refill Azusami's teacup.

When Ty Lee reaches the kitchen, grumbling to herself in frustration, she bumps into another human. Startled, she whips around and finds herself face to face with Iroh.

"Oh, thank Agni you're here!" Ty Lee screams and he stares in shock as she hugs him tightly. "I'm so alone and in so much pain..."

"What is wrong?" Iroh asks, patting her back awkwardly.

"Azula is sick and, she's, it's just a cold!" Ty Lee tugs at her braid so forcefully that a few strands of hair rip out and stick to her fingers.

Iroh takes a deep breath and sighs. "Zuko is just as bad. Perhaps worse."

"No, it is not worse. Nothing is worse than that. Being trapped beneath the ice of the South Pole and slowly drowning would sap away less of my aura's life force!" Ty Lee shrieks before bursting into hysterical sobbing.

"One day, I figured out how to solve my problem with dealing with Zuko's illness and his dramatic behavior. Most of the ship had come down with a nasty cold from our last dock in the Northern Earth Kingdom. Zuko fell ill and demanded that I care for him," Iroh says, gently rubbing her back. "I quickly grew tired of it, but I soon had a very selfish yet effective fix."

"You burned it all to the ground?" Ty Lee whispers hopefully.

"I infected myself," Iroh says, ignoring Ty Lee's comment and hoping it was a joke. "And then other people had to care for both of us."

Ty Lee looks at him. "You _are _a tactical genius," she gushes and Iroh blushes gently.

He reaches to take Azusami's teacup and Ty Lee blocks him with a quick motion of your hand.

"Before you refill that..." she breathes, and squeezing her eyes shut, licks up the last of the honey in the bottom of the cup. "That better work."

* * *

"Azula, I'm sick!" Ty Lee cries, sobbing and retching melodramatically. There is a slight sparkle in her eyes as Azula glares daggers.

"I know you're sick. You've informed me every hour all day," Azula mutters, trying to keep her hands from smoking.

The princess mutters something to herself about ruing the day she married a histrionic whore, but Ty Lee ignores her and continues to cry. She waves a teacup in front of Azula.

"And pull my blankets back over my body. They fell on the floor," Ty Lee cries, wiping her sweat on her arm and staring at Azula with glittering, wide eyes.

Azula sighs, rubs her temples, picks up the blankets and tucks them around her wife, and then takes the tea to the kitchen.

"Uncle, fill this," Azula snaps, taking great pleasure in ordering someone around instead of being ordered around. "I just want to _smother _her. What do I do?"

"Zuko had the same problem," Iroh says gently, looking Azula up and down. He has never seen her so worn down and broken, even during her descent after Sozin's Comet.

"What did you do?" Azula whispers, cocking an eyebrow. "Burn it all down?"

"I slipped a little something into his tea..." Iroh admits with a twinkle in his muted gold eyes.

Iroh looks at Azula and takes great pity on her. He did not imagine Ty Lee would go the extra mile with the advice he gave her, and so he, in generosity to his niece, adds a little something extra to the teacup.

_It worked well on Zuko..._

And Ty Lee is fast asleep within the hour, passed out from the dose of drugs. Azula sits down beside her, tying her raven hair up yet again in a ribbon and daring it to fall out again. Ty Lee looks so peaceful when she is sleeping and not ordering Azula to serve her.

A small, content smile on Azula's rosy lips as Ty Lee continues to lie there silently.

Iroh smiles slightly wider.

* * *

A/N: So, I got some amazing, amazing ideas in the reviews for the last drabble, involved Azula and Ty Lee in Ba Sing Se, Kyoto and just some thoughts from people I loved. I decided to outline them and I wound up not stopping writing for a week, making a new ficlet (12 chapters long).

It's called Six Months in Ba Sing Se, and my main goals with it were: Azula learning the influence of her actions on others, Kyoto, focusing on her relationships with Azulon and Lu Ten instead of Ozai and Zuko, and kind of a lighter feel-good sort of romance.

Another thing to address: a lot of people asked if Kyoto will be recurring. So, I've already established Azusami as Ty Lee and Azula's daughter for this series, so for continuity's sake, she'll be their child for the family-centered ones, but I think I will add a few featuring Kyoto.


	64. Survive

_(Theme Sixty-Four) _**Survive (or Azula Becomes a Pirate Queen Because Why the Hell Not)**

_(As Prompted By) _**Aya Rose**

Ty Lee is captured by pirates.

It is probably not the _worst _day of her life, but definitely not the best either. Immediately, all she focused on is survival. She is a trained Fire Nation soldier, a trained Kyoshi Warrior and you would never be able to tell from her cute outfit and perfect eye-shadow. She thinks she has the advantage in this situation, and imagines she can escape somehow.

She is one of several civilian survivors who were abducted off of a passenger ship going near Chameleon Bay. But, she thinks she is the only one of them with her very particular set of skills, and all she does is start thinking of ways to get out, even if it means swimming.

One of the men holding her moves her too forcefully and she ducks down, pretending to stumble and fall, and cursing at him for tripping her. She tears a pin from her braid as she recovers, and the men yank her back up without even noticing.

They lead her onto the ship and she sees the other people bound, some of them she recognizes. But Ty Lee, as loving as she can be, has no plans to save any of them. Her only goal right now is her own survival.

After kneeling with the other captives and controlling her breathing, she takes the pin she took from her hair and puts her skills of contortion to good use. Ty Lee always was an impressive contortionist, just as much that as an acrobat or warrior.

Her handcuffs pop free and she hides her sigh of relief. _Okay, wait, waiting, waiting..._

The man who seems to be in charge passes her and she jumps up, screams of other captives echoing around the ship. Ty Lee throws three punches before he can even draw his blade and he falls back, terrified at his sudden paralysis. Two more pirates come at Ty Lee, the muscular man with a shining katana and the slender woman beside him with two bladed kai. Easy, incredibly easy.

Ty Lee knocks the sword out of the man's hand as she carefully dodges the points of the kai. The captives are slightly restless now, wondering if they will escape or bear witness to a gruesome murder. The woman pins Ty Lee momentarily to the wooden wall of the expensive ship, but Ty Lee knees her in a pressure point and she and her kai are down.

"Call the captain," rasps the first man Ty Lee paralyzed to the two pirates who seem too afraid to move.

Ty Lee stands as boldly as she can. They can call their captain, and Ty Lee will hold him hostage until he takes her _home_. Survival. This is all about survival.

"Go on. Bring him out," Ty Lee says bravely, with an affectation learned from the royals.

"Not a him," says a man near the door to the innards of the ship.

And when he opens it and calls down, there is a moment of silence. No one on the ship can breathe, the only motion the sea wind whipping through their hair and loose clothing.

When the captain surfaces, Ty Lee's jaw drops. And the captain is even more surprised.

"Azula?" Ty Lee shrieks and the pirates exchange confused glances. "What are you ─ how? ─ Release me at once!"

Azula says nothing as she examines her crew, all looking to her with expressions Ty Lee has seen on those who have fought under Azula's banner.

"Don't speak to me that way. On my ship you will address me with respect." Pause. Azula winks at Ty Lee and the Kyoshi Warrior is now incredibly confused. "You watch the prisoners and make sure none of them try anything _cute_. I'm going to bring her to my cabin. Do you understand?"

And Ty Lee's hand is grabbed by the pirate captain's, and Azula twists her arm. _Wince_; it looked realistic enough without inflicting actual pain.

They are at last in Azula's cabin, which is just as ornate as her bedroom in the palace.

"It's an improvement from the asylum, huh?" Azula remarks as she shuts the door.

"How did you...?"

"Become a Pirate Queen?"

"I thought you were the Captain."

"Well, I'm the Captain of this ship and I also command seven ─ _no _eight after that last raid ─ eight ships. Which would make me an Admiral in the Fire Nation, but people have called me the Pirate Queen and I like the sound of it," Azula purrs casually, as if this is an everyday occurrence.

"How did that happen?" Ty Lee asks, bewildered beyond bewildered. Azula gestures for her to sit on the surprisingly plush bed and she does.

"Well, I went on a variety of journeys, trying to, _find myself_. Pirates found me, and kidnapped me, thinking they had absolutely gotten the best. Well, I can be incredibly persuasive... I _asked _the Earth Kingdom for Ba Sing Se and they handed it to me. And when my normal methods of persuasion fail me, there are other ways of establishing authority," Azula says cavalierly, as if this story is not one of the most absurd things Ty Lee has ever heard. "I'm good at what I do."

Ty Lee picks at her lips and does not know what to say about this. A _pirate queen_. Azula the _Pirate Queen_. It is a step down from Fire Lord, but the position of power is still fairly sexy.

"Are you going to kill me?" Ty Lee asks, knowing that her last interaction with Azula did not end well. It did not end well at all.

Azula makes a hmming sound and walks slowly to Ty Lee. And then she straddles her with no warning, making the Kyoshi Warrior gasp.

"What's it worth to you?" Azula whispers, touching her lips to Ty Lee's neck.

And Azula's question is answered with a moan as she touches her tongue to Ty Lee's clavicle.

Azula pushes her down and there is no stopping it.

The collision is incredible, like two planets smashing against each other, shards exploding everywhere. Ty Lee surrenders herself to what once was, long ago.

Pirate Queen Azula is... quite a bit more interesting than Ty Lee's mundane life of late.

She wakes to the rocking of a ship, wrapped in Azula's arms, and as she hears the princess's heartbeat, there is contentment.

The Pirate Queen and her Bride then reigned over the seas for years to come, before eventually retiring by the beach in the Fire Nation, and they got their happily ever after.


	65. The Miseducation of Princess Azusami

_(Theme Sixty-Five) _**I Think the Proper Term is Handmaiden and Feudal Lord**

_(As Prompted By) _**apermissivemommy**

"Which of you is my dad?" is a question asked at the breakfast table in front of the entire family by a small, feminine voice. "The kids at school _all _have a mom and a dad, and Izumi has a mom and a dad, so, which one of you is which? I'm really confused."

Zuko snorts, trying futilely to contain his laughter, and Mai slaps his shoulder. Azula makes a face that no one present has seen before; Zuko considers it similar to the one she wore when Uncle threw her into the ocean. Ty Lee just blinks and smiles, as if that will make it go away. Izumi bites her nails, being old enough to understand the question and not wanting to reveal that she is. Now _that _would be embarrassing for her parents to see.

"Uhhm," Ty Lee begins uncomfortably as everyone seems far too shocked to respond, glancing at Azula and seeing that her wife has absolutely no answer either. "I don't actually know."

Mai, realizing she is again the voice of dry and emotionless reason, interjects with, "They're both your mothers. You call them mama and mother. What else would they be?"

Azusami squints at the Fire Lady and contemplates that possibility. Mama is Ty Lee, given that she is much more tender and was the first one Azusami spoke to. And Azula is mother, because she calls all of her family by the most detached pronouns possible, and Azusami learned it from her.

"Well, I gave birth to you," Azula suggests weakly, turning up a palm.

Ordinarily she would probably take offense at people questioning which one of them was the male in the relationship, which, given the varying relationships of husbands and wives, Azula found to be absurd and far to _personal _of a question in the first place. But Azusami is clearly confused, and Azula supposes these weird questions come up even if your parents aren't lesbians.

"Uh-buh-buh-buh," Zuko says before Azusami can reply. "You are definitely a father figure to Azusami."

"I've always considered you to be her father figure, ZuZu," Azula purrs and Zuko looks flattered.

"Thank you," he says genuinely and then Azula laughs. _Of course, of course_.

"I can't believe you didn't realize that was a joke. I am clearly the father figure in her life. Although, you are her only male role model, so don't screw it up," Azula says after finishing her cackling.

Zuko does not even know how that qualified as a joke, but he just shrugs. "Alright, maybe I changed my mind. I actually think Ty Lee is her father," he says and Azula squints at him, looking mildly offended. "You gave birth to her, so Ty Lee will never really understand motherhood in the same way."

Azula clears her throat. "I don't even have a response to that."

Mai presses a napkin onto her lips to keep from laughing too hard. Zuko rubs his neck, no longer having any desire to be involved in this conversation.

"Zuko, I understand motherhood better than Azula ever will. I completely did _all _of the mommy stuff except being actually pregnant and feeding her," Ty Lee says sharply and Mai cocks an eyebrow. "I am your mother and Azula is your father, Azusami. _But _we really are both your mothers. So just punch any kids who question it in the face or something."

"Hmmm," Azusami says, looking even more confused than she was before. "Uh... okay...? So, can I call you dad?"

"No," Azula says coldly and Azusami shrugs.

Zuko opens his mouth to yet again argue, Mai carelessly joins in and the four adults bicker for the rest of breakfast about whether Azula or Ty Lee is Azusami's father, and Azusami and Izumi just stare at each other until they leave the table, the adults still fighting.

"Our family is weird," Azusami grumbles to her elder cousin and Izumi just nods.

"No weirder than most families..." Izumi replies, thinking of her father's friends and their incredibly weird children. "Now... you _do _know where babies come from, right?"

Azusami slowly shakes her head. "Kissing and holding hands at the same time?"

Izumi laughs, shaking her head, and guides Azusami to the courtyard to give her a talk that might just clear up her confusion about which of her mothers is her father.


	66. Cherry Blossoms

A/N: Azula's flirtation courtesy of an article compilation of "Worst Porno Lines Ever"

* * *

_(Theme Sixty-Six) _**Cherry Blossoms**

_(As Prompted By_) **Koka Kola Veins**

There are so few things more beautiful than cherry blossoms in the late springtime.

And Azula has never been more infatuated with anything _floral _but them, and the ability she has had since she was a child to burn them from flawless pink petals to nothing but grey, cold ashes. She has one in the palm of her smooth, ivory hand and she is debating what its fate will be. But she is broken out of her reverie when she looks up and sees the girl emerging into the gardens, thinking she is alone.

As a child she would burn the ugly flowers, but these ones, they never seem to be out of place or unappealing. And Azula's tastes and standards are quite high. Therefore, she practices beneath the cherry blossoms during the time of year that they bloom brightest.

She rubs her lips together briefly as she gazes at Ty Lee for a little too long. They cannot be caught looking at each other for too long; father suspects, and Azula _knows _that he suspects. And the idea of him uncovering that his daughter is having an affair in his own home is not a pleasant one to dwell on. Particularly when said affair is with someone Ozai does not particularly like or approve of.

_Why _Ty Lee is in the courtyard is most of what Azula wants to know. And _why _Ty Lee is walking so openly over to Azula, having noticed the princess, is making Azula's mouth dry and her pulse race with blood forged from cold flame and hot ice water, or maybe hot flame and cold ice water... Azula cannot think clearly at this moment, and that makes the fact that she is both hot and cold relatively unimportant.

"Good morning, princess," Ty Lee says with a bow that is deep enough to alleviate any suspicions of how they might as well be peers by night. However, Azula does note how she is _very _intentionally doing so in a suggestive manner, the slight display of cleavage enough to make the princess forget to breathe for a split second.

"Yes," is Azula's oh so clever response. She sincerely wishes that her silver tongue applied not only to enemies, underlings, relatives and middle-aged men, but also attractive women.

_(But of course not. Despite Zuko's insane ravings and her own assertions about perfection, not everything is easy for Azula.)_

_ (Just most things.)_

"The trees are so pretty," Ty Lee remarks blithely and Azula can see her smile is so... _artificial_. There is a crack in her tone and Azula struggles to analyze it, a rare weakness that she only suffers from upon occasion. With _this _moron of all people.

(_Azula does kind of care if something is wrong. A little. It may distract her from the upcoming infiltration of Ba Sing Se.)_

_(But she has no idea how to ask Ty Lee if something is wrong.)_

_ (Being seen as weak is not an option.)_

And Ty Lee continues, "I like how they just come up out of nowhere, right?"

"They come up at the same time every year," Azula replies coldly and Ty Lee's smile is genuinely gone.

_(And Azula could throttle herself.)_

_(How could _Zuko _score with a woman and Azula can't even discuss the changing seasons?_)

"I guess I just don't pay that much attention," Ty Lee admits softly, shrugging off Azula's callous nature. It doesn't bother her much anymore.

"Evidently so."

_(Excellent work, princess. This could not be more pitiful if you tried.)_

"Uh..." Ty Lee begins and Azula swallows. "I really only pay attention to _incredibly _pretty things. Given that I'm just so pretty, you know?"

"Well, that explains your pathetic attention span. These petals are beautiful," Azula says and Ty Lee inhales and exhales slowly. It is troublesome to Azula.

"I pay a lot of attention to you," Ty Lee says with a small smile. "I _did _notice you way before the trees."

"You're..." Azula hesitates. _Flirtatious, flirtatious, flirtatious_. "You're very hot. A very hot woman. Like made of sex."

_(Just murder her. Go ahead and murder her.)_

Ty Lee reaches towards Azula and she thinks perhaps the giggling acrobat is going to put her out of her misery, but she just brushes blossoms and shredded petals out of Azula's dark hair and kisses her fiercely.

Mostly to save her from saying anything more embarrassing.


	67. Let's Do Old And Grey Part I

_(Theme Sixty-Seven) _**Let's Do Old And Grey**

_(As Prompted By) _**(**many,many people have asked for in general old!Tyzula**) **

She dreamt last night about a distant, far off time in which she had escaped all of her troubles. It was sweet in a number of ways, until she woke and realized that she is in the best place she has ever been in her life. She is beside the woman who eluded her and angered her, and whom Azula hurt so many times, but, somehow, it all worked out. It all worked out and it is their 25th Wedding Anniversary Today. Which _Azula has not forgotten, _mind you.

Azula slowly rises from bed, cracking her knuckles. They pop sickeningly. Her back hurts all the time. Her bones are perpetually sore. But she aged with absolute grace and beauty, and with the right shade of make-up, she truly does fit in to her dual roles in Republic City.

She dresses herself in the latest fashions, instead of such drab robes like most people her age. _Disgusting_. And she applies her make-up. Azula never bothered to dye her hair, despite its gradual transformation to grey, but she quite likes the look of it, shimmering in the sunlight.

Azula is almost out of the expensive penthouse apartment when she hears a chastising complaint behind her. "You can't actually be wearing stilettos in public. You're going to fall and die," says Ty Lee, yawning.

"You run a fashion line, which ─ hm, I believe I back financially ─ therefore, I'm only making you look good." Azula smirks at her funding of Ty Lee's wild ideas. One after another after another, until she became quite adept at the charisma and perseverance it took to create a fashion line based solely around _distinction_. No piece is the same.

And only a rare few people truly understand why that is Ty Lee's business motto. Azula, on the other hand, has been behind her brother's curtain for decades now, and she often winds up dealing with painful political events that he has no desire or ability to attend. Ghostwriting speeches and being the face of _support _for Zuko was an abhorrent price to pay in her youth, but the other option was prison, an asylum, loss of her bending...

But now, in her age, she has grown to appreciate it.

"You are in shoes made for people in their twenties," Ty Lee complains teasingly.

"I am never too old to look terrifying and arousing." She crosses her arms. "That's what your secretary said. It's actually kind of creepy... Would you like to escort me to my ride and back."

"Where are you even going?" Ty Lee yawns again.

"To see people in places and do things." Azula cocks an eyebrow and shuts the door she had just opened. She is going to pick out Ty Lee's anniversary gift, because of what a thoughtful and loving woman she is. Alright, well, perhaps it is actually something that Azula wants for herself that she knows Ty Lee will hate and give to her. But it's _the remembering to even give a gift that counts._

"Have tea with me, at least," Ty Lee demands and Azula sighs before examining her.

"If you insist," Azula purrs in response, and Ty Lee thinks she definitely knows why rooms suddenly jolt with terror once Azula walks in.

And the woman, that _woman_, she very pointedly and elaborately walks across the penthouse on the stilettos. Ty Lee watches, pursing her lips, knowing that she should not _wish _falling on a fifty year old woman. But, if the Universe enjoys karma...

No, she makes it to the table without incident. And then whimpers in pain. "These chairs are going to suffer my wrath! This is the last time!"

Ty Lee grins, unsure if Azula is kidding or not, but finding it endearing anyway.

"Did you hurt your back?" Ty Lee cocks an eyebrow and strides across the room to start brewing tea.

"Am I old, Ty Lee?" Azula asks softly.

Ty Lee does not hesitate before responding, "No, love, you're just falling apart."

"Mphm," is Azula's only response. "I do actually have to stop at the embassy and meet Cheng Yi."

"Oh, she's horrible," Ty Lee responds as she tries to make the kettle broil faster. She looks to Azula for assistance, but the princess seems lost in her virulent hatred for her semi-coworker.

"She is. Actually, everyone in this city is horrible. I just want to cleanse it with fire. We're nearly halfway there... if I can hold out a little while... I mean, walking in stiletto heels at fifty, I could probably make it to a hundred and fourteen with the right..."

The tea kettle squeals angrily as Ty Lee quietly ignores Azula's rambling about burning cities to the ground.

"I could freeze you in an iceberg if you'd like," Ty Lee suggests with an innocent smile. Azula just takes her tea and sips from it. "It's only another week."

"Yes," Azula says, shrugging. "But it reminds me of my Agni Kai Triad days, and also the incredible assholes in its government, and also looking like my brother's pet, and on top of that, I really dislike the way the city smells. And also I wind up with horrific arthritis for no reason, and I blame this disgusting attempt at a city."

"Is that why your wedding rings are off? I was actually very concerned that you had started something with my secretary." Ty Lee winks and Azula rolls her eyes.

That is a terrifying thought to Azula, and it always has been. The moments when she is in the middle of penning documents, reports and speeches, and her fingers seize up in unbearable pain that makes her clench her jaw. The absolute fear that comes when she _cannot _bend from her hands when they are in that state.

Exactly one person can soothe it. The woman across from her, drinking tea in a genuinely hideous pink shawl, and still staring at Azula like she did when Azula was a conqueror and a deity, and not... whatever she became. Ty Lee can restore the movement and cure the pain with just her fingers, and Azula has no idea what she would do without her.

"Am I, though? Am I getting old?" Azula demands, leaning forward. Ty Lee squints at her, wondering how _that _idea got into her head.

"You are as beautiful as the day I met you," Ty Lee says, smirking at her cliche.

"You clearly have poor vision."

"I might have gone blind," Ty Lee snaps back brightly and Azula glares at her with a small pout of her stark red lips. "When I thought I lost you, well... _all _the times I thought I lost you, all I really thought about it is, uh, how our lives would be when we grew old together. Just from then on, it was about you and me and not world domination or loathing or..."

Azula does not know how to respond to that. She cannot find the words to say for the life of her. That confession is certainly something Azula is not used to coming from someone who somehow reached the age associate with wisdom but is still shallower than a wash basin.

"That's nice," Azula suggests and Ty Lee's eyebrows shoot up.

"_That's nice_?" Ty Lee genuinely looks angry now and Azula swallows.

She watches Ty Lee's simmering anger before deciding to do the weak and altogether embarrassing thing and mutters under her breath, "I wouldn't have made it to this age without you."

"I didn't hear you," Ty Lee says with a widening smirk.

"Yes, you did." Azula downs her tea and locates her scarlet blazer before beginning to leave.

And then doubling back and standing there until it looks as if Ty Lee is the one who needs the kiss on the lips, because her pride is adorable.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	68. Let's Do Old and Grey Part II

_(Theme Sixty-Eight) _**Let's Do Old And Grey Part II**

_(As Prompted by_) **Various**

Azula and Ty Lee are currently on a sofa, feeling undeniably bored as they are told to watch their granddaughter, who is pushing two years old and is currently attempting to force them to play with her. Ty Lee cannot help but be reminded of Izumi tugging on Azula constantly, or of their own daughter and Azula's utter inability to ever say no to her.

"Play with her," Azula insists, poking the child's back and nudging her towards Ty Lee.

"No," says the two year old before pouting.

"Go bother someone else," Azula suggests with a small, rather frightening scarlet smile. "You know who really wants to be bothered, erm, _played with_? Your Uncle Zuko. He loves being bothered by little children and the profuse slime that comes out of their hands."

She analyzes Azula with her wide, glittering golden eyes for a moment before deeming arguing not worth it and stumbling away, half crawling, towards the dining room in which everyone else is gathered.

"Why are you pouting?" Azula demands as she turns to Ty Lee and cocks an eyebrow. "You're always pouting..."

Ty Lee rolls her eyes. And then sighs, realizing she has nothing left to hide at this point. "I don't even understand why she likes you."

"What? That's absurd. I'm so fun," Azula replies pleasantly, turning up a pale palm.

"You made her organize her toys by usefulness yesterday." Ty Lee tilts her chin in the other direction.

"But I didn't make her burn the least useful ones, love. If that's not kindness, I don't know what is." It is entirely possible that Azula is being honest right now, which is, utterly terrifying.

"You know what my grandmother did with me?"

"What?"

"Taught me how to bake cinnamon cupcakes," Ty Lee says dryly as she hears a wine bottle uncork in the other room. And after all of this time, she is still sitting in the cold, other room, hiding from the party because she finds Azula more interesting, for some reason. That's a scary thought.

Azula looks at Ty Lee in mild disbelief. "Hmm?"

"Not in the way I taught _you _to bake cinnamon cupcakes. Agni, that's disgusting," Ty Lee grumbles with a very pointed roll of her eyes.

"I wasn't implying that at all." Azula shrugs, this time clearly lying.

"Also, she would buy me presents and hem my clothes before events," Ty Lee opts to continue, waving her hand majestically.

"She sounds horrifically boring. I am much more fun. Everything is more fun with organization and firebending."

"Hm. No."

"And you're such a traditional grandparent. You're not a traditional anything. I've never been yelled at for putting lipstick on her or setting her loose with paints," Azula says with a haughty shrug. It is no wonder people fear her.

"You've never been yelled at by anyone."

"Only you." Azula sighs melodramatically.

Ty Lee scoffs. "Ugh. I have every right to constantly yell at you. I earned that right for officially having been married to you for a quarter of a century."

"Are we measuring our relationship in centuries now?"

"Well, if we are, we're nearly at half by now." Ty Lee is hit by that realization like a brick wall falling onto her. Has she honestly been with Azula in some way or another for that long?

They did meet when they were toddlers, and they had a mutual childhood crush even then, if Ursa is a reliable source. No, no... that's too frightening.

Azula, however, is only encouraged by that revelation. "Let's push for full hundred. The Hundred Year Relationship, they'll call it. Such a bloody and brutal conflict with such notable battles as trying to strangle a princess in her sleep just because she accidentally stole the blankets and not talking to each other for three days."

"That was not an accident. You also wrapped them around yourself as a noose to prevent me from taking them back. My actions were justified. And of course, the genocide of all of Ty Lee's friendships and social hobbies."

"Perhaps we should make a monument for them. _They were horrible friends and boring activities anyway_, will be the inscription. I'll have it bronzed."

Ty Lee shakes her head, hating to admit how amused she is by this conversation. Despite how disrespectful it is to the millions dead, and a world in ruins and oppression for a hundred years. "At least gold, Azula. I'm more expensive than that."

"Well, of course, the only reason you're with me is because I'm so rich and royal. I mean, it's not as if I've ever seen you dating someone who _wouldn't _further your social standing and buy you those really hideous pink cardigans you think are cute."

"Really cute. They _are _cute."

"The Battle of Azula Begging Desperately for her Wife Not to Wear the Hideous Pink Cardigan in Public was a very important turning point in the One Hundred Year Relationship."

"If you had been _begging _and not _ordering_ maybe I wouldn't have worn it for two weeks to spite you."

"I don't beg. I have never begged."

"Oh, now that's a lie..."

And then they both are laughing. Ty Lee squints at her for a moment as they finally manage to compose themselves.

"I'm not with you because you're rich and royal," Ty Lee says quietly, her smile refusing to fade. "I'm with you because you're funny in the absolute cruelest of ways. Of all of the friends have had over the years, none of them making sitting in boring places as interesting as you."

"Well, of course. So long as there are people or things around to mock, I will mock them," Azula purrs with a small wink. She has eyeliner on her pronounced cheekbone and Ty Lee decides not to tell her. "I'm only with you because you're attractive."

"Oh, come on now..." Ty Lee rolls her eyes.

"I refuse to say."

"I said."

"The reason I am with you is redacted in interests of national security."

"By which you mean you're with me because I'm mandated by law to make sure you don't burn down any cities in a trail of massive destruction and cause an international incident."

"Well, of course. Why else?"

Quiet laughter, punctuated by louder laughter in the other, packed room. Ty Lee then sighs. "It's our party. We should probably be at it."

"I actually bet you two hundred gold pieces and those stilettos you hate me wearing that no one would even notice if we left right now," Azula says confidently.

Ty Lee shrugs. "I think I win either way."

And they make their quick and quiet escape.


	69. Silk

A/N: This one's a bit sexier, so heads up for that.

* * *

_(Theme Sixty-Nine) _**Silk**

_(As Prompted By) _**Distracted by Lemons**

There are a multitude of silk things that Azula enjoys. Her blankets, of course, and how they feel light against her skin in summer, and manage somehow to warm her in winter. Granted, Fire Nation winters are magnificently mild, unless you are in the mountains, and who would want to be in the mountains, anyway?

She likes her robes, because they are expensive and flattering, and she can pretend to be important as she wears them. And beautiful silky curtains that are currently closed, and while Azula can tell it is midday by the fire in her blood, Ty Lee is not quite sure if it is day or night, or, for that matter, how many days have passed.

Azula's lips are missing every time they attempt to hit Ty Lee's now. They both are so impossibly exhausted, but Ty Lee refuses to give in as she just presses her hips more and more insistently against those of her girlfriend. Azula cannot deny the sparks, the wanton desires that radiate from Ty Lee. The way her neck leans back and Azula's fingers can trace her perfectly smooth, silky, peachy skin.

She tastes Ty Lee's lips, and how sweet they are. And _Agni _they are soft, very soft, like silk sheets the first night you have them. And not as damp with sweat and stifling as the ones wrapped around their bare legs are. It makes her suddenly very aware of how chapped, dry and cracked her own lips are.

The heat surging through them could not be matched by any flame in the Fire Nation, any bubbling magma or even the sun itself. Or so Ty Lee and Azula believe, and what they believe is much more important than the reality that exists outside of this dark, locked room.

Ty Lee pushes Azula down, her lips beating a tattoo of fire down Azula's neck. The tingling sensation surges through Azula like little sparks, sparks that grow and grow until they become a raging fire. Azula cannot remember what her clothes even felt like, but she can quite recall how the gorgeous blue silk lingerie of her long distance girlfriend had felt against her insistent hands.

Azula had such perfect dark hair, splayed out beneath her, this white skin that now shone with sweat Ty Lee was quietly proud to have conjured, scarlet lips, red nipples against her very small but very, very enticing breasts. And Ty Lee kisses every inch of those colors, and those soft but pointy features.

The lust is limitless. Absolutely, completely, utterly limitless. The vibrant sensations making Azula's toes curl, or the soft, such sweet, high moans of Ty Lee, most of them directed into Azula's tingling neck. The heave of their breath, their bodies pressed, their breasts against each other, in utter perfection.

They stain Azula's flawless silk sheets for hours.

And they leave deep nail marks in each other's silky smooth skin.

When it ends, Azula is lying in her bed, still perfectly naked. Still an expanse of skin that is certainly not unexplored by the girl sitting on her windowsill, and gazing at the naked body in front of her, with Azula's silk blankets wrapped tightly around herself to protect her skin from the harsh breeze entering the open window.

"That was nice," Azula says and Ty Lee rolls her eyes.

"That was evidently the best sex of your entire life. Stop lying. I can clearly tell." Ty Lee shoots Azula a very fake and exaggerated scowl.

"Maybe," Azula whispers, and her facade is even weaker. "Or maybe I've already forgotten and need you to show me again before I can make my decision."

"Well," Ty Lee says, shrugging off the blanket wrapped around her and striding over to Azula, "that can't hurt. I mean, I definitely want you to have the most information you possibly can have before you make such an important decision as to what the best sex of your entire life was."

"Of course." Azula cannot hide her smirk this time.

They stain Azula's flawless silk sheets for hours.

And they leave deep nail marks in each other's silky smooth skin.


	70. Pink is Not Her Color

A/N: I didn't ever intend for 'arcs' in this fic, even if I have some two-part drabbles and such. But the drabbles leading up to Drabble 75 are going to be chronological, and then it's going to go back to just being random times and places and such.

* * *

_(Theme Seventy) _**Pink is Not Her Color**

_(As Prompted By) _**GuitarBOSS**

Azula does not notice the copious stares she gets this morning.

Admittedly, she is very used to being gawked, leered or gazed at by strangers, friends, and generally everyone with a pulse and eyes. They tend to be wondering if the Crazy Princess is going to have some kind of outburst or flay someone alive with blue fire. _But _stares from Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai are a little more unusual.

All the same, Azula's mind just writes them off as other gazes meant to be ignored. Because her mind is fixated on much more important things; things that make her mouth dry and her palms sweaty. She is so clueless, and there does not seem to be anyone to help her.

She feels weak, and has a massive headache as she sits at the table and runs her fingers through her hair as her tea becomes cold. Her heart rate is too fast, or maybe too slow, and she does not know what she is supposed to do at this point.

Azula jumps and flinches when Zuko bounds into the room, his feet as heavy on the stone floor as usual. He looks concerned and she usually wants to burn off the rest of his face when he gives her those worried parental eyes.

"Um, Azula," Zuko says quietly and she stares up at him. She must look pretty bad because he recoils, his cheeks reddened, nearly the color of his scar. "You must have had a rough night, huh?"

Oh, _cringe... gross,_ did Zuko seriously just talk about his sister's sex life? He feels queasy, but he knows he sometimes has to do horrible, gross things as a responsible conservator, and Fire Lord. Like question her about last night's activities, which are pretty obvious, granted the fact that Ty Lee arrived yesterday to stay for two weeks.

"How did you know?" Azula screams, thinking she is speaking quite quietly, but nearly destroying Zuko's eardrums. It gives him momentary pause as he thinks they might be talking about two very different things.

"How do I know wha─" and she is gone before Zuko can say a word.

Hours after breakfast, the jostled and mad-eyed Azula does not find out _why _people are staring until Mai points it out to her. And she has been to a variety of secret places today, in an utter panic, possibly taking breaks to take deep breaths and try not to scream herself to death.

"You know you're wearing Ty Lee's dress, right?" Mai says so casually, and Azula wonders why _no one _has bothered to tell her that. "Pink is not your color... at all."

"Well maybe pink is the color of the blood of my enemies on white clothes maybe if I washed them and it didn't come out all the way!" She gasps and sits down, missing the sofa and not noticing that either. Mai squints slightly, the drastic expression of concern. "And pink is also the color of Fire Nation baby girls and I won't be able to wear Ty Lee's clothes by accident soon because ─"

"Don't. Don't continue this. The more you say, the more damage you are doing to yourself. And while it would be hilarious to watch you completely have a breakdown and burn down a wing of the palace while dressed like you're going to your first day of Lady Etiquette Lessons for Four Year Olds, I might burn alive."

"You're such a good friend!" Azula snaps, her teeth clicking together like an animal. Mai straightens her back so as not to recoil.

"You and Ty Lee are not exclusive during times where you are unable to see each other for stretches of months. Also, she might be lying about being pregnant to get you to do something. She seems like that kind of person. And obviously you left in a hurry this morning without talking to her, which is... the kind of person you are." Pause. "It isn't like it's your kid and you're not obliged to take care of it."

"She probably doesn't even know the father's name. And I just got this like sudden sensation of obligation to do something. Like firebending training or saying snarky things to my brother." Pause. "She took care of me for a long time, and put her whole life aside for that..."

"Oh, Azula, you _do _have a heart."

"Shut up!" Azula snarls, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.

"All sarcasm aside, I think this is a decision you should make as a couple or something. I would say get advice from an adult who knows what to do, but I actually don't think you know a single person who has any idea how to properly raise a child."

"I've been running around all day trying to figure this out with various people. Who didn't tell me what I was wearing! All of them will eventually pay..." Pause. "Mai, will _you _talk to Ty ─"

"No. Did she say it in a breaking up with you way, or in a apologizing way, or in a give her advice on what to do way, or like a commit to me right now and let's be parents way?" Mai asks and Azula just lies down and closes her eyes. "Have you decided to give up?" Silence. "Well, that's fine. One of the few things I actually like is giving up. But it's not one of the few things you like."

Azula groans. "I will talk to her. As soon as I change into maybe, I'm thinking political negotiation clothes, but beautiful and not at all controlling make-up. Does that sound trustworthy and responsible?"

"Literally anything other than that will make you seem... well, alright no, literally nothing on Earth will ever make you look trustworthy, but not like a five year old? Anything other than that."

And Azula sighs and walks away, not knowing how she can cope with this.

Some mornings she can barely brush her fucking teeth; how does anyone expect her to do this?

_**To Be Continued...**_


	71. Scented Lotion

_(Theme Seventy-One) _**Scented Lotion**

_(As Prompted By) _**KawaiiEyeliner**

Azula does not find Ty Lee back in her room, but she does not like the idea of trekking across town to see if she is at the embassy or not. Instead, the princess sits in her clothes for a while, jots down notes that she tears up about how she should lead into this conversation.

_This vital conversation._

She winds up taking a hot bath and cutting her losses, as much as that hurt. However, as she is in just a flimsy bathrobe and rubbing cherry blossom scented lotion on her scalded skin, the door creaks open.

And before Azula can snarl at her brother or Mai, Ty Lee says softly, "Hi. I'm sorry it took me so long."

The room now feels very uncomfortable, and Azula hyperaware of that fact. "I... I did sort of run this morning."

"Yeah," Ty Lee whispers, knowing that it is not entirely Azula's fault for panicking. That would very predictably be her reaction. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Azula looks at her feet and nods. Ty Lee comes in and gently closes the door behind her, glancing over her shoulder with a moment of paranoia. She can smell the perfume of the lotion on Azula and she wants to kiss the princess's leg, but promptly decides against it. Not the time, definitely not the time.

"Were you telling me about it because you wanted to break up with me or because you wanted to know what I wanted you to do or because you wanted me to be a parent with you or...?" Azula thinks that is all Mai listed.

"I'm not sure," Ty Lee says as she sits down near Azula, hoping that her gesture will not be rejected. Azula remains still and calm, although she eyes Ty Lee warily. "Okay, so, I _do _know who the father is although I'm sure you probably wish I didn't."

"Well, it's certainly not _me_."

"We agreed that this didn't have to be exclusively monogamous when we go without seeing each other for months and months," Ty Lee snaps defensively before groaning. "But I am sorry. I'm really sorry and I should've been more careful, because you are the person that I love, the only person that I love and..."

"So, who is he?" Azula asks, eyeing Ty Lee. She bites down on her lip; the debate in her mind over whether she should tell her extremely jealous girlfriend about her one night stand or not rages quietly.

At last, Ty Lee decides to open up. She thinks Azula might like him, and maybe that will make everything easier. "He's actually in the Fire Nation right now."

"_What_? That's not alright! _I am _in the Fire Nation _always_!" Azula shrieks before staring at her feet. She hates how she is not doing a very good job looking responsible and trustworthy.

"I didn't sleep with him in the Fire Nation, Azula! I slept with him in the Earth Kingdom while I was working for him for a few months this year," Ty Lee snaps before again feeling guilty. Azula may be responsible for many issues and vile things, but none of this is her fault.

"How do you know he's in the Fire Nation now?" Azula asks quietly, trying to keep under control. She smoothes the lotion over her legs again, her nose now burning with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms.

"Because tonight he's having some party," Ty Lee replies softly and Azula stares at her.

This, to Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, is only getting worse and worse. "Did he _invite _you? Are you _going_? Are you leaving me for _him_?"

"No. I, I'm only breaking up with you if you want to break up," Ty Lee says, grabbing Azula by her hands and clinging to her. She is slick and smooth with lotion, but Ty Lee refuses to let her slip away. Ty Lee _loves _her, and Ty Lee did not sacrifice two years of her life to put Azula back together to let their relationship fall apart.

Silence. Azula seems to sense Ty Lee's feelings, thankfully.

"What's his name? Do I know him?" Azula asks calmly, clearly, like an adult. _Good_.

"Are you going to have him arrested or killed?" Ty Lee inquires uneasily, still not letting go of Azula.

The Fire Nation Princess shrugs. "Probably not."

"His name is Zei Goto, and I worked with him on some possibly less than legal job in Yu Dao." Ty Lee sighs faintly as she remembers her brief work as a mercenary. Her travels around the world have been very fulfilling to her, the adventures, the danger. Her night with Zei was fulfilling at the time, but Ty Lee regretted it later. She regrets it now, even if she and Azula have agreed to allow one night stands without getting angry.

"So... I _could _have him arrested if my goody-goody brother knew?" Azula tries to play it off as a joke, but Ty Lee is well aware that it has a kernel of truth.

"I don't know. Well, yes, but," and Ty Lee runs her fingers through her hair. "Do you want to go to the party with me?"

"Wait, so you plan to trap this guy at his party and tell him about ─"

"_No_. I think that I know literally nothing about this man and I want to... snoop, and the party is a really good way to find out. Would you like to join me? As my forever girl and a person who can pretty much read minds?" Ty Lee asks hopefully and Azula thinks she might understand. Even if Ty Lee were not to wind up leaving Azula for said Zei Goto, she probably couldn't help but be curious about him, and the knowledge would help her make her decision.

Mostly, it just makes everything much, much easier for Azula to go on an espionage mission than to actually discuss the baby problem with Ty Lee as an adult.

"Well, I will join you as your date."

Azula contemplates kissing Ty Lee, but is too afraid to do so.

* * *

Zei Goto's party looks fairly nice. Most importantly, it looks like the type of party Azula is decent at navigating ─ the type with the light music and expensive clothes and talk exclusively of politics and high culture. If anyone is trying to bed someone, it will be subtle and not include people making out on sofas.

The only thing that Azula _dislikes _about it, is that clearly Zei Goto is an affluent man with plenty of friends, and perhaps Ty Lee will prefer that as an environment for her child other than chaining herself to a washed up and imprisoned war criminal.

"So, what was your job in Yu Dao?" Azula inquires as Ty Lee wraps her arm around Azula's waist.

"A little bit of everything, actually," Ty Lee whispers. "But mostly theft. Look, there are a _lot of _people in the Earth Kingdom who don't know how to do anything but fight in wars; they find other ways of using those talents. And not everybody can be hired for private security, like the Kyoshi Warriors."

"_Mercenary_. He's a very, mmm, classy mercenary. I'd peg you for more of an _assassin_," Azula purrs, loath to admit how hot she finds the idea of Ty Lee being an assassin. Ty Lee perhaps intending to assassinate _Azula_, but then maybe they just very passionately and roughly ─

"Your highness, what a pleasant surprise." A slippery male voice skewers Azula's brief fantasy. "And Ty Lee. I didn't know if you would be able to make it. Did you rehire Miss Ty Lee?"

Azula looks at her girlfriend and sees those familiar eyes of someone expecting Azula to lie for them.

"Yes," Azula says sweetly. "As a bodyguard and other body related things. Perhaps you would be familiar with them, Mr. Goto?"

While Ty Lee could vomit, Zei takes it well and with a smile. A crooked, reptilian smile.

"I'm afraid I've never been in the business of protection, your highness," he says smoothly. While he seems slippery, Azula quite likes him. He has an attitude that she is not aggravated or offended by; he is what he is, yet he is not afraid to be serpentine.

_Maybe Ty Lee would like him more, _Azula cannot help but think, but she quickly clears her mind of that thought and tightens her grip around her date.

"It's lovely to join you," Azula says as she tugs Ty Lee inside.

His home is beautiful. Azula imagines the gorgeous historical tapestries, relics of war and modern amenities are ill-gotten, but that does not disturb the princess much. She is not bothered much by people doing illegal things, now that she is no longer in control of the law.

Azula and Ty Lee make their way to a terrace, where they can somewhat be alone. They pass quiet conversation, most of it political. And they settle down in the warm summer breeze, beside each other.

"This is a beautiful home," Azula remarks and Ty Lee purses her lips. "Would you like to live here with him?"

"Are you mocking me?" Ty Lee snaps and Azula shakes her head.

"No, no, I'm just throwing it out there."

Azula kisses her neck, and they drift together in the party.

* * *

"Azula, I have to go throw up in the bathroom for an hour," Ty Lee says quietly in her date's as they are speaking with a merchant from Sondai. "See you."

Azula nods at her, she is gone, and the princess begins to wonder if perhaps this is her chance to... _snoop around _a bit and figure out just who this man is who impregnated her girlfriend.

She excuses herself politely, and locks her eyes on Zei Goto. He is towards the back, mostly alone, two people at his side. And the princess confidently approaches him.

"Well, I certainly haven't had my turn to speak with the host," Azula purrs as she sits down across from him. He cocks an eyebrow. "So, how do you know my bodyguard."

"Work in Yu Dao. If it weren't for your brother─"

"Do I strike you as the type of person who likes to talk to her brother?" Azula asks sharply, her lips twisting. Zei Goto shakes his head. "Right. So what were you up to?"

"Smuggling. One of my more innocent jobs, I'd have to say. Things went wrong, though, somewhere along the way. Your bodyguard and I got trapped in the wilderness and nearly died. It was a bonding experience, but I, uh, never heard from her again after she got her paycheck," Zei explains with slight wistfulness in his amber eyes.

"That's unfortunate," Azula says, studying her glass of wine. The one Ty Lee poured the rest of hers into when Azula was finished, so _afraid _for anyone here to notice. Azula does not know why she tolerates these things. "You must have been military, then?"

"Before the war was ended and most of my friends were tried and convicted of war crimes," Zei replies with a slight heat in his chilly tone.

"Well, I support your endeavors. Finding things to do with your abilities that the world says are useless is invaluable. And it is people like you, who do the dirty work, that keep everything running so smoothly. Shame my brother and his dear friends just don't understand," Azula says sweetly and she knows she has won him over enough.

Good.

* * *

Two hours into the party; Azula is unclear how she got in here, into an isolated room with Zei Goto. Azula is also unclear of when she lost Ty Lee, or if she ever even reunited with her after she started her subtle interrogation of the host. She does feel rather tipsy right now, and a bit more than angry.

"It does amaze me, I must admit," Zei Goto says as she cavalierly explores his room while he sits with his glass in his hand, "to have you here. I can't imagine the Fire Lord was eager."

"He doesn't care what I do so long as no one ends up dead," Azula says earnestly with a shrug. She leans against his desk and squints at the bedroom door. This room is boring, and has given her no information outside of the fact that he seems interested in Fire Lord Yaoya Dynasty Art and collects a lot of paperweights.

"Wise of him, perhaps."

"So, are you hiding something in your room?" Azula asks softly, pointing. She has never _seduced _someone before, much less tried to trick someone like this. But it somehow seems to be working.

"I didn't know you were interested in going in." He looks excited by that, and Azula knows that look, and Azula has suddenly lost track of just what she was trying to learn.

As he takes her hand, her hand that still reeks of cherry blossom lotion and her hand that craved the smooth yet strong grasp of her girlfriend, and not these, clammy calloused ones of a stranger, Azula really wonders why she is doing this. It only hits her once they enter the bedroom, and he lights the lamp with a quick burst of bending, that she was taking her time isolated here to make Ty Lee think she was with Zei Goto for just this reason.

And that makes Azula's stomach do flips. _Agni_, Ty Lee is pregnant, and probably horrified about it, and all Azula can think about is petty revenge and jealousy.

The minute his lips touch hers, Azula pushes him full force onto his bed, pushing him off of her.

"Hmph?" is his clearly confused response.

Azula pauses. "You knocked up my bodyguard. No, not my _bodyguard_, my girlfriend. That's why I came here; to see what kind of person you are."

"I..." His face is ashen. "I wish she had told me, and not..."

"Well, what would you say if she did?" Azula asks, her words no longer sweet and slurred.

"That..." Pause. "That I already have a wife and two children, and it would be best if she kept out of contact."

Azula wants to say something about that before the fact that he was just trying to sleep with _her _hits her in the face.

"You're married with two children and you just tried to fuck me?" is all Azula can say, brimming with rage. "Stay away from her. And don't you dare even think about telling her about this! My bodyguard and I will be leaving. If I were you, I would get to work hiding the stolen goods around here, because I would not be at all surprised if tomorrow perhaps some law enforcement might just stumble to your doorstep."

She storms away without another word, without caring about his motives or any of it.

She seizes Ty Lee by the arm the minute she sees her, splashing tea all over both of them. The crash of glass and their sudden departure makes the entire party stare, but Azula does not care.

Once they are outside, Ty Lee just stares. Azula squeezes her hand tightly, imprinting her on the cherry blossom lotion, and then kisses her fiercely to erase the other, very, very unworthy lips that even dared to touch hers.

"How about we go home, and talk about our future? Parties suck and I don't know how you tricked me into going to one."

_As if we have a clue, but, it's better than this..._

Ty Lee has no idea why Azula has just done this, but she is glad to oblige.

**_To Be Continued..._**


	72. Shut Up and Dance

_(Theme Seventy-Two) _**"Shut Up and Dance" - Walk the Moon**

_(As Prompted By) _**astraphobic kisses**

* * *

[**first trimester**]

* * *

Azula is trying not to be angry about Ty Lee keeping her awake. She has subjected her long distance girlfriend to copious sleepless nights, but Azula must admit she has much more tolerance for her own actions than the actions of others. It has been three weeks since they dealt with Zei Goto, and now the fact that Ty Lee is actually pregnant has become much, much more obvious and real to everyone.

During their talk about their future, Azula said she wanted to help parent this baby. _"Not as a mother," she said, "as a... fun aunt who also helps out." _

Ty Lee did not protest to that, seeing as it is not Azula's baby. The offer to move into the palace and have a bastard child between a mercenary and drifter raised with the same luxuries as a prince or princess is a gift Ty Lee would never refuse. Not to mention she is quite liking living with Azula instead of waiting months to see her again.

Even if now Azula and Ty Lee have realized just how difficult it truly is to live with each other. But, they both shut up and accept the little quirks, and set that aside to be together. Almost like _adults_. Or people who are meant for each other. Even though Azula will deny it vehemently until the day she dies.

"I'm kind of worried," Ty Lee says softly as she tosses and turns, thinking about the possibility and the daunting task that would be baby-proofing the palace. All she can think about now is how many bad things can happen to the squishy, fragile little human she is going to bring into the world.

"Yes, they do have such fragile little necks..." The corner of Azula's lip twists and Ty Lee hits her in the face with a pillow.

"That's not funny," Ty Lee snaps, pouting her lips. "I've moved in here now and I'm going to be raising a child here."

Azula hesitates. "With me...? And my insane family. And these dangerous halls... You have an adorable death wish."

Ty Lee rolls her eyes. "I don't have a death wish. I have a destiny."

"Oh, so _I _am your special destiny?"

"No."

"You basically just said that I was your destiny and I refuse to acknowledge any other interpretation," Azula purrs, her smirk widening. Ty Lee rolls her eyes.

She does not know how this happened, for Agni's sake. But she is not going to dare look back, because she is diving headfirst into darkness with Azula and a baby, and hoping she will hit water or a net or cotton candy and not cement or pointy spikes.

"When did you know that we were destined for each other?" Azula whispers in Ty Lee's ear and she pushes Azula away again.

"Why do you want to do this with me, huh? Your destiny is probably better than this."

"Well, I thought my destiny was conquering the Earth Kingdom and reigning over the Fire Nation. So much for that. Might as well settle for raising a child that isn't even mine," Azula says, shrugging.

Ty Lee closes her eyes. "You don't have to tell me. I'm going to trust you."

"Famous last words," Azula mutters and Ty Lee shoves her again. "I kind of have to admit I like it when you're a little commanding and rough. I still remember drill sergeant Ty Lee who would make me get out of bed and brush my hair."

"You want me to be more controlling?" Ty Lee's eyes light up. "Oh, well, I want you to fuck me."

"You're holding back. That was weak." Azula sits up on her knees, climbing over the pillow that she was just assaulted with and lying down so close to Ty Lee that they can feel each other's breathing.

And then Ty Lee leans over and kisses her fiercely on the lips. "Shut up and sleep with me."

"Better."

Azula owes Ty Lee this because of that drive and vivacity that she has. Those things that were an incentive for Azula to attempt to have a future instead of just staring at the past until she died of starvation, as she had planned originally.

The _least _she can do is help raise her child.

But Azula will _die _before anyone knows that.

* * *

_"Don't look back. Stop thinking about the past," Ty Lee orders like a drill sergeant at Pohai Stronghold. "I know you're upset right now, but it's going to be okay."_

_ She has Azula's hands in hers and Azula would have broken free if she were able. Ty Lee's thumbs are resting very gently over a quite effective pressure point. _

_ Azula was an utter wreck. And she was more upset by the fact that she was caught by an episode by total surprise, and after she thought she was in smooth sailing. But Ty Lee is having none of that negativity in her happily ever after._

_ Because, so help her, this dangerous, poisonous woman is her destiny._

_ "I can't."_

_ "You are Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. There is nothing you can't do."_

_ "Well, yes, but I don't _want _to."_

_ "You don't want to feel better?"_

_ Azula clenches her jaw and averts her eyes. She is trying to hide tears, and Ty Lee sees it, pulling them together._

_ "I do," Azula whispers, trying to sound strong. Oh, but she isn't. Oh, but that is one of the ridiculous and self-destructive things that Ty Lee loves about her._

_ "So stop whining and shut up and dance with me."_

_ And she twists Azula around with soft, smooth steps._

* * *

"We are baby proofing the palace," Ty Lee declares after calling an urgent family meeting.

Zuko is sitting, looking concerned. Mai has a bored expression beside him, and Azula is unsure what to expect.

"What's a _baby _going to do to a palace?" Azula asks, her lips twitching with a smirk. Zuko looks at her with his eyebrows knit in concern. "I'm kidding, brother. Of course I know what baby-proofing is."

"You didn't know what a price tag was," Mai chimes in and Azula glares at her. "What? It's a fair assumption to think that you thought we were trying to keep the palace safe from the baby and not the other way around."

Ty Lee is sipping chamomile tea and still looking concerned. After noticing how annoying Azula's habits are, Ty Lee quickly noticed the much more alarming fact that this palace was not at all a safe place to raise a baby. It does actually lean more to the _death trap _side of things.

Azula then sighs, "You all realize that everything in this place is either decaying, poisonous, a weapon or a decaying poisonous weapon, right?"

Zuko groans and rubs his chin, knowing what a point she has. But this is an undertaking that he does not know if he will be able to accomplish, even with the help of the three women. Mai just shrugs, figuring that it will probably be pretty interesting to see what they dig up in these cobweb afflicted halls.

"Why are we doing this, anyway?" he asks and Mai shrugs.

"Think about what we could find in here. One time Azula showed me this secret passage."

Zuko adds, "One time Azula locked me in a secret passage."

"Mmmm, well, that's not what secret passages are _for_," Ty Lee contributes with a smug smirk. Azula laughs and Zuko cringes as Mai smirks wickedly. "Now before my baby gets stuck in a secret passage or one of those swords falls on its fragile little neck, we are baby-proofing!"

An hour or so later, the first room they clear is not very encouraging. Zuko lifts up some kind of rusted razor blade from the lower shelf of a bookshelf. Which also is coated with questionable white powder that Mai starts cleaning up.

"Azula," Zuko says, holding it up, "how did we survive until adulthood?"

And Azula just cocks an eyebrow. "Day's not over yet, ZuZu. Now shut up and baby-proof the palace with me."

_**To Be Continued...**_


	73. Twins, Cravings & Nightmares

_(Theme Seventy-Three) _**Twins, Cravings &amp; Nightmares**

_(As Prompted By) _**Koka Kola Veins &amp; apermissivemommy &amp; turtleducksymphony**

* * *

[**second trimester**]

* * *

**[twins: month one]**

"No, no, watch how scared he gets," Ty Lee says eagerly and Azula cannot help but smirk at the delight scaring little children brings Ty Lee. "Azula, are you watching?"

"I am watching," Azula purrs as Ty Lee reaches for the little boy who is distracted by his new toys.

She picks him up, holding her close to him and Azula cackles at his expression. Oh, Azula did not actually think it would be _that _funny. Most of the time Azula just pretends to laugh at things Ty Lee points out, if she is in a giving move. But she very genuinely laughs this time.

He is the son of Ty Lee's identical sister. Her parents were some how cursed with producing three sets of twins. Azula thinks they just should have quit after Ty Lee and her sister, but they probably could not have predicted that they would have three sets of twins, barely distinguishable save for minute height differences, and styles of hair. Three sets of _identical twins_. Azula would die if that happened to her.

"You have the scariest laugh. I love you," Ty Lee comments excitedly as the little boy starts crying hysterically. He is pulled from her arms by her mother and Ty Lee kisses Azula on the lips, bumping into her teeth.

An hour ago, Ty Lee was wailing and complaining and raging. And now she is just so happy and in love. Azula is confused, but she finds she is quite used to her own mind giving her the exact same treatment.

Ty Lee has dragged Azula to a dinner at her mother and father's house, in order to break the news. According to Ty Lee, Azula is supposed to be the thing that Ty Lee quickly points at as soon as she explains that she is pregnant out of wedlock, and then she plans on pointing out that Azula and the royal family were going to support Ty Lee and her child.

What Ty Lee did not account for was her sister being here, with her adorable little son. It is making Ty Lee very excited, very, _very _excited about her baby, instead of a mixture of concerned and thrilled.

"Why is he so afraid of you?" Azula whispers as soon as the kiss breaks. "What did you do to him?"

"I've never met him before today. But apparently babies get really scared and confused when you show them their parent's identical twin."

"So has she tested it on the other two sets?" Azula inquires as she hears the wailing of the little boy and feels a second of panic about having to endure that in the near future.

"So I've heard. And it works with his cousins too," Ty Lee says cavalierly as she leans in closer to Azula. The princess is fairly certain that she is layering on the _dating a princess _a little too hard, in order to make her family angry and jealous.

"Cousins?" Azula asks as the thought strikes her. "How many are there?"

"Well, you know that twins usually beget twins and ─"

"_What_?" Azula exclaims and Ty Lee's parents and sister turn to stare. The princess does not notice, but Ty Lee blushes bright red. "There," and Azula quiets her voice, despite it doing no good with everyone listening in on them, "_there might be more than one?_"

Ty Lee could not be more embarrassed at this point. She brought Azula to prove that she had the support of the royal family, and a stable romantic relationship. But perhaps Azula's instability is enough to make her a poor choice. Perhaps Ty Lee should have asked Zuko to come.

And now Ty Lee supposes her news has just been inadvertently revealed by Azula's untimely outburst.

"Yes," Ty Lee says quietly, hoping and praying that Azula will not make more of a scene.

"Hm. Perhaps we can name them after the two most famous twins in my family," Azula says silkily, smoothly transitioning back to glibness, to Ty Lee's relief. However, Azula's heart is still pounding. "They had the unfortunate situation of being the eldest children."

"But one of them had to be older?" Ty Lee asks curiously, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, in my family they would tie a red string around the wrist of the elder one. But the record keepers had written it down wrong, so when it was time to pass on the crown, they got into a dispute about it."

"What happened?"

"They opted to fight to the death in an Agni Kai. But, the funny thing is, they both died in it. Their cousin got the throne." Azula smirks at the story, and when she and Ty Lee look up, they are facing a gathering of onlookers.

"You're pregnant?"

"I knew she was!"

"Whose is it?"

Ty Lee grimaces.

**[cravings: month two]**

Azula looks at the rainy night ahead of her, with a cloak wrapped tightly around her body. She hates rain, and nighttime, and how it constricts her throat. But, while Azula would love getting an escort, she is very afraid of seeming weak, and therefore has climbed out of a window so that no one will see her.

Curse Zuko and his getting rid of the _slaves_. This is a task more fit for some serving girl than Azula, Azula who conquered Ba Sing Se, beautiful and clever. Azula who saved the Fire Nation again and again. Azula who survived several near death experiences and somehow pulled through when her brother was told that there was no hope for her ever being a functioning human again.

No...

Now she is Azula who is going out in the middle of the night, probably to be murdered by someone, looking like some kind of _peasant_, because the palace did not have any of the exact right kind of cinnamon bread.

Azula who made Ty Lee cry and scream at her in a way that would probably have made Sozin himself crumble and sob in fear (while, Azula withstood it most admirably) when Azula just possibly slapped the servant who informed her about it in the face.

This is an unpleasant night.

And, so help her, if anyone finds out that Azula is doing this, she would not be at all surprised if perhaps there were an unexpected electrical storm.

Maybe the palace burns down with everyone in it.

Cinnamon bread.

**[nightmares: month three]**

Ty Lee wakes up and has to sit up and fumble for lights, kneeing Azula in the gut trying to find the lamp.

"Azula, Azula, turn it on I'm scared!"

The princess has no idea what is happening, but she lights the room. "Are we being attacked?"

"No. I had a horrible nightmare and also every time I go to sleep my baby wakes up," Ty Lee whines hysterically.

Azula tries to control her rage. Ugh, like that horrid therapist told her to do. She has to be responsible if she is going to take this plunge with Ty Lee and survive, but Azula hates dealing with other people's problems. Listening to sobbing just makes her want to punch the crying person, even Ty Lee, who she thinks she might possibly love.

"We can sleep with the lights on. I don't care." Azula returns to her beautiful pillow.

"Don't you want to talk to me about it?" Ty Lee whispers as she clutches her own pillow to her chest, covering the now-noticeable bump on her lower stomach.

"Have I ever discussed dreams with you?" Azula asks sharply and Ty Lee wails louder. "Stop, stop, making that sound before I throttle you." Louder, louder now. "I will not throttle you. What do I have to do to make you stop doing that?"

"Talk to me about my nightmares."

Azula sighs. "Alright."

The sound stops, and Azula supposes sacrificing her dignity tends to be preferable to tipping the very delicate balance of their pregnancy.

_Theirs_? No, it's Ty Lee's. Ty Lee's mistake. Azula tries to focus her eyes and read Ty Lee's lips, even though she is not paying much attention. Her eyelids are so heavy, and she was having a nightmare of her own...

But it wasn't the usual recurring ones about being buried alive by laughing faces of Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko, mother or father. Nor about dragons bursting from her chest, or herself being trapped in a cage as it slowly fills with water, and she is awake through the entire process of drowning.

It was a nightmare about a child. A nightmare about her taking a bolt of lightning for some little child and...

_Oh Agni. _Azula thinks she is going to be parent.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	74. Eclipse, Golden & Names

_(Theme Seventy-Four) _**Eclipse, Golden &amp; Names**

_(As Prompted By) _**Aya Rose, korrasarmyy &amp; Streetlight Eyes**

* * *

[**third trimester**]

* * *

**[month one: eclipse]**

"It's just partial," Ty Lee protests as she sees Azula's look of distaste. "Oh _come _on. There are like four of these a year, Azula. I would count backwards to how many eclipses there have been where the Fire Nation hasn't crumbled into chaos, but I don't think I can do that in my head."

"Alright, well, firebending interference and general bad luck aside, have you no idea of what an eclipse can do to a pregnant woman?"

Ty Lee tilts her head quizzically. "No…? Should I?"

"It's, well, I'm not actually sure but I know that they are supposed to be a danger to the mother and unborn child."

"You just don't want to go to the eclipse party." Ty Lee rolls her eyes and gives Azula a mocking smile. She does, for a brief second, think that perhaps Azula _does _believe those old wives' tales about an eclipse and the harm it is towards pregnant women. But Azula is smarter than that, and better educated, and… hmph.

"_No_. I'm serious. I will go to the eclipse party if you stay inside for the extent of the eclipse," Azula says, resting her hand forcefully on Ty Lee's arm.

"_Partial _eclipse," Ty Lee corrects before sighing. She scrunches up her face in thought and Azula has no idea why she is giving her that look. "Are you worried about my baby?"

Azula pauses, knowing that she only has a flicker of a second to decide. Honesty, lies, this one comment feels like it has as much weight on her shoulders as executing the coup of Ba Sing Se.

"I'm worried about _our _baby," Azula says quickly, coldly and regally, but Ty Lee still grins and blushes.

Ty Lee is silent and Azula wonders if she is going to regret her words, but then Ty Lee's lips press against hers.

"I will stay inside during the _partial _eclipse. But we're going to the party," Ty Lee says as her hands run down from Azula's waist to gently clasp around her wrists.

"We can make an appearance, and then leave quickly and quietly," Azula argues and Ty Lee shrugs.

"I'll take that," she agrees, wondering if she should kiss Azula again.

She does.

**[month two: golden]**

"You're making a room in the palace for it?" Ty Lee asks, pleasantly startled. She has just been led to a room in the living quarters that smells strongly of fresh paint and the early summer breeze.

Azula shrugs. "Would you have preferred some kind of cat kennel? We could probably provide that for you."

Ty Lee gently punches Azula's shoulder before stepping inside. The former Kyoshi Warrior is overwhelmed by how much _gold _there is. Golden paint, golden fixtures, all of it real, and not an inch of it tarnished. It is almost like a room for a real prince or princess, and not the bastard child of a disgraced princess's girlfriend.

"Do you like it?" Azula asks and Ty Lee knows that there is only one acceptable answer to that question.

"Of course. Thank you so much, Azula," Ty Lee says sweetly as she walks inside, her hand resting on the now extremely prominent bump there. Azula shrugs, looking smug as ever. And perhaps she has earned the right to be haughty; giving Ty Lee's baby this room is a beautiful act of generosity.

Or perhaps Azula genuinely does consider Ty Lee's baby to also be her own. That would be ideal, but Ty Lee is not enough of a fool to push it. She just walks to Azula, whom has perched herself on a dresser and is toying with one of the unpacked boxes on top of it.

"Thank you, for all of this," Ty Lee says and Azula just shrugs.

"It was nothing," Azula replies airily, but Ty Lee knows that it was something.

Ty Lee looks at the golden crib in the center, and the red cloth fixtures. She is hit by the sudden realization that she is actually doing this, and the smug, selfish, violently unstable woman sitting behind her is the one she is doing it alongside.

And, Ty Lee supposes as she examines her reflection in a shining golden lamp base…

She would not have it any other way.

**[month three: names]**

Mai is laughing, Azula is laughing, and Ty Lee is scowling. She cannot believe that even _Mai _finds this funny, because she feels completely humiliated. They are sitting in the palace, the doors and windows open to let in the summer sunlight, and Ty Lee has shared her two favorite baby names.

Azula and Mai reacted just as Azula and Mai would. Ugh.

"Zuko, Zuko," Mai says loudly as he is walking by. He finds himself stunned to see Mai in hysterics, which he did not think was humanly possible. "Listen to what Ty Lee wants to name her baby."

_Probably nothing good_, Zuko thinks, but he bucks up and walks inside.

"She wants to name it Kasumi, after her dead cat, if it's a girl," Mai says, now eerily calm and stoic. It seems her mirth was as short lived as it was startling. "And she wants to name it Kuan if it's a boy, after her other dead cat."

Zuko tries his best not to cringe. "Kasumi… could be nice…" He rubs his neck.

"Yes, because my baby will be named after your _cat_," Azula snaps before realizing that Mai and Zuko are present.

"_Your _baby?" Zuko asks as Azula blushes and her eyes flicker with panic as she searches her brain for a lie.

But then, she decides there is no hiding this. "Princess Kasumi sounds ridiculous. I insist upon Kazumi. Kuan is ridiculous as well, and is a complete peasant name," Azula says coldly and regally, commanding the attention in the room. There is no more hiding this. "Prince Kuan, Ty Lee? Prince Sozin is my requirement,"

Ty Lee's cheeks are glowing pink not with embarrassment but excitement and shock.

"I love your honesty, and I love the idea of my child being a prince or princess but Kuan is not up for negotiation, unless you can come up with something better than someone who committed mass genocide," Ty Lee says before kissing Azula on the mouth and nearly knocking her to the floor.

"I am a very good negotiator," Azula says sharply.

"I'm getting you two a baby book," Mai sighs, glancing at Zuko.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	75. The Birth of Azusami

A/N: So, each quarter of the way there is a landmark in Azula and Ty Lee's relationship. 25 was their first time having sex, 50 was their wedding. I asked people for votes on 75, and it almost unanimously was the birth of their first child. Which explains the arc.  
(Also, holy shitsnacks, there are only 25 chapters left!)  
(except I meant for this to be done in December)

* * *

_(Theme Seventy-Five_) **The Birth of Azusami  
**

_(As Prompted By) _**The Majority**

Azula punches into the cabinet of glassware formed from volcanic ash and Zuko cringes.

He is not sure how to make her remain calm, now that she has been removed from the room in which her girlfriend is giving birth to a child. Zuko laughed when Ty Lee screamed that Azula was making everything worse and she had to leave, but it is not so funny now that he has to deal with her.

"It's going to be okay. Babies are born every day," Zuko says at last and Azula shoots him a venomous look that makes him take a slight step back.

He might be fine with dealing with Azula day to day, but right now she seems like she might go on a murderous rampage for some reason. Burning down Caldera like some kind of fire monster…

Zuko looks at both Azula and Mai, shrugs, and cringes when Ty Lee screams out. Azula moves to rip a tapestry from the wall and burn it, so sighing, Mai grabs her, pinning her hands behind her back as she screams in utter rage.

"Calm, calm down," Mai breathes, her monotonous voice much more soothing than Zuko's panic as he declared that Ty Lee was having her baby, and set the entire palace ablaze with a panic. In his defense, he could not have anticipated this response.

"Let me back in!" Azula shrieks and Zuko rubs his neck awkwardly.

"Ty Lee said you had to leave because you were adding unnecessary stress," Mai says calmly as Azula struggles against her grip. Mai can only thank her military training, at this point.

It was pretty funny, inside, with Azula desperately trying to see if Ty Lee needed anything, and screaming at midwives and constantly offering Ty Lee chapstick for no reason because she did not know what else to do. But Mai does agree that Azula was probably making the tension and stress tonight much worse.

"What if something goes wrong? I feel so helpless! I am not helpless! I must be there because why would I trust _midwives _to deliver my child! What if it dies or there's a birth defect or _there's more than one_!" Azula shrieks in terror, gasping in once as she almost breathes fire by mistake, and Mai attempts to make soothing noises. "What if the eclipse made it into a monster? What if it hates me already? What if she leaves me once the baby is born? What if the midwives steal it? It could be assassinated right now! I need to control this situation! I am much more qualified─!"

"I'm going to rub your nose," Mai says softly as Zuko examines the damage to the cabinet. He wants to point out that Azula is not at all qualified in delivering a baby, but he is wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

"Why ─ What? ─ Why are you doing that?" Azula demands, although she does not move to break free of Mai.

"Shhh," Mai says softly, brushing her finger down the bridge of Azula's nose. "Yeah, see, you like that. That's very calming."

Azula is still hyperventilating, but Mai considers this to be progress, since said hyperventilation is not producing any acrid smoke. "They can't just leave me like this! Have them all imprisoned for their treason of kicking me out," Azula gasps out, lacking all awareness of her reputation and not having the energy to try to look tough.

"You are okay, and the baby is going to be okay, and everything will be fine," Mai says flatly and softly, and, somehow, she does manage to calm Azula to the point of sitting down and waiting.

Mai, Azula and Zuko are all silent for what feels like an eternity, and Azula does not even dare to move for fear of something going wrong. And then their silence is interrupted by a horrifying wailing sound that feels like something out of Azula's worst nightmares.

"Is that the sound they make?" is all Azula can manage to ask.

"All night every night," Mai replies with a slightly sadistic glint in her amber eyes.

Azula is allowed in, now that the ordeal is over and she has calmed down enough. She looks around, swallowing, her mouth dry.

"It's not very cute," Azula says and Ty Lee rolls her eyes. "You're very cute, though."

"Thank you, Azula, I appreciate that backhanded compliment," Ty Lee says weakly and Mai and Zuko feel somewhat like they have intruded on an incredibly private moment, despite the healers surrounding them. "Come see the baby. I know you want to."

"I'm not…"

"Let me rephrase. I know Princess Azula the Conqueror is not afraid to come meet a baby," Ty Lee says, cocking an eyebrow.

Azula steps forward and looks at the small, squishy little thing. It is somewhat cuter up close, but Azula imagined them coming out more like… _babies_.

"Can I hold her?" Azula says softly and Ty Lee nods.

Very hesitantly, Azula reaches forward and touches it, making Ty Lee laugh and the little baby become much more alert. Azula almost recoils, realizing she has alarmed it and probably should not pick it up. She does like its little hand, until it lightly grabs her when she examines it. Azula tries to assure the baby that she is not a threat before picking it up, despite Zuko's snickering about how scared a baby's hand made his sister. But Azula must prove that she is qualified for parenting. But when her hand strokes across the babies cheek, it puts her finger in its mouth and she audibly gasps, deciding her composure is gone and will not be returning any time soon.

"I changed my mind. I'll hold her later," Azula says as she steps away slightly. Zuko laughs more loudly and Azula does not even have the energy to snap at him.

"Her name is Kasumi. Meet my daughter, Kasumi," Ty Lee says softly as she turns the baby with impressive ease to face Azula.

Hesitation. Azula cannot help but hesitate. "No, meet _our _daughter, Azusami. Azumi is also acceptable, but I decided on the first one after our argument. Kazumi is just not the right fit."

Zuko laughs, and then wheezes, but Mai has to admit it is kind of cute.

"Our daughter?" Ty Lee smiles.

"Our daughter. _Azusami_. No child of mine is being named after a dead cat." Azula reiterates the name with her eyes fixated on the midwife. So help her, she is marking the right name on the birth certificate.

"Any more demands?" Ty Lee looks at Azula in disapproval, but the princess seems utterly unaware. Ty Lee is taking this surprisingly well. Probably the painkilling concoctions they gave her, or possibly because she knew how helpless Azula felt, and giving her some control now is probably going to prevent a heart attack.

"Perhaps we can discuss this at a better time, when I am not coming down from a panic attack and suddenly realizing the glass embedded in my hand, and you haven't just given birth to _our _daughter _Azusami_."

Ty Lee rolls her eyes, looks at the baby sticking out its tongue, and then looks at Azula's bleeding and trembling hand.

It is a certain kind of happily ever after.


	76. Picture Perfect

A/N: So, this is so many levels of based on Titanic right now. _Blank Pages _has made me think about the scene where Jack paints Rose.

* * *

_(Theme Seventy-Six) _**Picture Perfect**

_(As Prompted By) _**purplee**

"Let me see that," Azula demands, reaching forward and nearly poking Ty Lee's eye out with her nails. The acrobat grimaces and promptly tucks the notebook between her thighs.

Well, that certainly did not stop Azula, as it would with most people. Ty Lee feels a rush of brief, unwelcome heat, as Azula pulls the notebook out, sliding across some very sensitive skin.

They are in Azula's bedroom, and Azula, _who has never done a favor in her life_, had decided to help Ty Lee unpack. It would have been exciting and shown genuine progress in their relationship, if Azula had not immediately plucked out the most embarrassing thing she could find.

"I've been journaling my travels," Ty Lee admits, rubbing her neck. "Writing about vivid moments, putting little pieces into scrapbooks─"

"And evidently painting _people_," Azula says, cocking an eyebrow. Ty Lee sighs and wishes Azula had flipped to a boring page and tossed it aside. "Who is that woman? Who is she so I can frame her for a crime and have her executed?"

Ty Lee scowls as she tries to think of a reply. Not that Azula's comment even _warrants _a response. "I've only painted clothed people since we really got together. My quest for self-discovery has only just ended, and all." Ty Lee is running her hands over her braid, a nervous habit.

Azula smirks faintly at her and slowly begins flipping through the pages of Ty Lee traveling through everywhere once occupied by the Fire Nation and documenting her experiences. It is evident that Ty Lee was looking for a reason to justify her actions, or some way to uncover a self outside of the girl who blindly obeyed the weapon of war.

The princess flips through and studies it, wanting not to feel so jealous and hurt about these trysts with dates. But then Azula notices the drawings, and how they are laden with imperfections. But are beautiful, so beautiful all the same.

It reminds Azula of how she fell for Ty Lee again because her old flame saw her imperfections as perfections, and Azula craved that.

Ty Lee looks briefly sad and Azula notices, and says, "I will absolutely forgive you ─"

"For painting girls I slept with before we were a couple?"

"Yes, for that. We _were _a couple once."

"I think that we had a pretty obvious break-up," Ty Lee says with a cocked eyebrow.

Azula is not deterred, and continues with, "I will absolutely forgive you if you paint me like one of your Earth Kingdom girls. I, as your true and only love, deserve at least that."

Ty Lee smiles faintly, glad that Azula did not get angry. Their fights are as passionate as their sex.

"I am happy to," Ty Lee says, accepting the notebook and trying not to watch Azula undress. "I won't paint you like them, in the, in the way of focusing on their flaws. I was going through a nasty phase right then, not at all aura friendly. You don't have any flaws anyway."

"I _said_," Azula states confidently as she strips out of the last of her kimono robe, "to paint me _like _one of your Earth Kingdom girls."

Ty Lee feels quite nervous about that prospect, but she does accept. Her eyes briefly drift away from Azula and her infinite beauty contrasted against the stark red fixtures and dull golden hues of her bedroom. Maybe _their _bedroom at some point. That thought makes Ty Lee's hand tremble as she starts unscrewing the lid of a bottle of ink.

Azula is silent and patient, although she is laid out like an empress. Ty Lee inhales and exhales slowly, examining the blank page in her journal. She cannot find anything wrong with Azula. She can't because she is perfect.

But there are the moon white scars. And the redder, uglier ones made from so many handcuffs pressed tightly against her wrists, chafing away. Ty Lee looks at her own feet.

"Shouldn't you examine your subject?" Azula purrs and Ty Lee wonders if she is trying to torture her beloved. "Or are you paid hourly?"

"I need a minute," Ty Lee says as she wonders what the repercussions would be of painting Azula's scars.

"Go right ahead. You know how I love it when you move at a glacial pace," Azula says sharply before reclining further. Ty Lee's eyes stick for a moment on the arch of her back, the rise and fall of her chest.

_No_, the painting cannot be sexual. Azula is not a sexual being or a cold weapon or any other kind of object other people have always wanted her to be. Azula is a person, despite her claims otherwise.

Ty Lee starts to draw. Azula is silent as Ty Lee focuses on every contour. The princess can remember having Ty Lee kicked out of art class at school because Ty Lee was so much better than everyone else (including Azula). It seems her talents have developed even further with practice.

It finishes, at last, and Azula steps forward to examine it.

"That isn't quite accurate," Azula whispers as she tilts the notebook towards her.

It is of the beautiful princess in chains, chained to a stone sacrificial slab, and not her lovely bed, and above her, a monstrous version of herself moves for the kill. But her eyes, her face, her small smirk, her _peace_ that she had while reclining on her bed like a throne are present.

The painting is focused on the handcuffs and the beast that dwells within.

But, oddly, it feels more about Azula not fearing any of that anymore.

"It's perfect," Azula says and Ty Lee is stunned by the rare non-backhanded compliment. "It's perfect, now fuck me."

Ty Lee does not decline as Azula's thoughts remain on the picture perfect portrait, and then the warm girl above and under her.


	77. Meta Mandatory Marriage (AU)

A/N: This one's dedicated to my grandmother, and me trying to explain Tyzula Fanfiction to her last night.

Also, in my personal opinion, this is the best thing I've ever written.

* * *

_(Theme Seventy-Seven) _**Ain't No Wedding Like a Tyzula Wedding Because a Tyzula Wedding is _Mandatory_  
**

_(As Prompted By) _**My Grandmother**

Azula frowns at the fact that she is lugging her own suitcases into her childhood home. Honestly, the must have _some _better kind of help around here. How can father expect to have a proper family reunion without any _servants_?

The gravel of the exquisite path leading up to the front doors crunches under her scarlet heels, and she can just _feel _her expensive luggage being scraped to bits.

Her bag gets tangled in vines and she lashes out her palm, burning them to a crisp and then putting out her slightly smoldering designer bag. She clenches her jaw and tries to hold it in.

"It really sucks that we decided to buy all new luggage for this," Ty Lee chimes behind her, swinging her own bag over her shoulder with relative ease.

"I wanted to look like we actually have it _together_," Azula replies quietly as they walk inside and Ty Lee stops to marvel at a place she used to come to all the time after school. "My father rewrites his will after every biannual family gathering. We must look our absolute best."

They walk up the stairs and find Azula's old room.

"I thought your family had rules about unmarried couples not sharing a room," Ty Lee says, cocking an eyebrow.

"We are in here to practice your lines and make sure we both are together on the web of lies I intend to weave tonight." A loud clash rings out downstairs, the snap of a man and exasperated sigh of a young woman accompanying it. "My father is obviously occupied right now with ZuZu. I wonder if this year father will push Zuko into punching through the wall again. For the sixth time."

Azula drops the luggage, kicks shut the door with her heel and catches her breath.

"Alright, let me hear you again," Azula declares as she examines the room around her.

"I only have _one line_, Azula," Ty Lee says sharply, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, but you still have yet to master it," Azula replies and Ty Lee weighs her odds.

Ty Lee rolls her eyes, and gazes intently at the portrait on Azula's wall instead of locking eyes with her girlfriend. "I will do this _one more time_: Yes. I agree with Azula, and whatever she said."

"That was intentionally stilted." Azula scoffs.

"How about I just don't say anything?" Ty Lee suggests, rolling her eyes yet again. This is all Azula has gone on about since they arrived at the Republic City Airport.

"No, no, they know you too well. Act clueless." Azula crosses her arms and sits down on her old bed. It creaks.

"Fine. I really don't understand the point of this. Your family is horrible and you hate them," Ty Lee says with her palms turned up. "And obviously you don't agree with their crazy views if we've had so much premarital sex and you decided to move to another country and start a business empire."

"I know. I want them to all see how much _better than them _I have become. Or already was, honestly..." Azula touches her lip with one smooth, fake nail and listens carefully for the quiet argument still going on downstairs.

"Right." Ty Lee just squints. "Because your father has pushed you to absurd limits as his child prodigy, and now you feel like you need to be the best at everything to make him love you. And also, you're the only person in the entire family who has never been written out of a will before."

"_Yes_. That's why we have planned ahead. So help me, if I am not sole benefactor of _everything_ I would not be surprised if by noon this whole place was burned to the ground." Azula glances around at the manorial Fire Nation home and thinks that it might look better in ashes.

Ty Lee grimaces and asks, "Not with us in it, right?"

"Evidently not with us in it." Azula does not even know what to do half of the time. She is trusting her entire inheritance in the hands of a woman who reads auras and performs weird massages for a living.

"My parents made a will where I'm the one who's supposed to divide everything between people." Ty Lee chuckles at the thought.

Aghast, Azula can only inquire, "Why?"

"I'm the most level headed and successful." Ty Lee's chuckling turns into a snort of laughter.

"That's sad," Azula admits with a skeptical twist of her rosy lip.

Ty Lee pouts at her. "That's mean. You're mean."

Azula clears her throat, rummages around for her carry-on bag and withdraws her binder of notes for the family gathering. Ty Lee closes her eyes; it is study guide day _again_.

"Okay, let us go over the most important facts," Azula orders, as if Ty Lee is one of her workers instead of her girlfriend.

"Well, they're not really facts," Ty Lee snaps back, not having the patience for this.

"Lying by omission does not count as real lying. Nor does bending the truth. Truthbending requires even more poise and control than bending lightning," Azula purrs as she flips through the smooth, colorful pages.

"You gave me my _color coded _notes on the plane," Ty Lee says with an exasperated sigh.

"Did you read them?" Azula asks sharply.

"Mmmm. I skimmed." Ty Lee shrugs as if this is not the most important matter of Azula's life.

As if Azula does not have a ring stuffed into the pocket of her red cardigan. As if this is just a drill of some sort.

"Alright, my family has absolutely no idea that we are a thing," Azula admits openly, although that will _certainly _change by tonight.

Ty Lee snickers and Azula glares at her. "I'm pretty sure anybody more aware than a rock has figured it out by now. It's not like it wasn't ever obvious."

"Yes, but no one has clarified it yet and therefore it is not real," Azula insists.

"Mmmm. That's... alright. Whatever happened to Zuko's high school girlfriend? The one who he kept yelling about not being his girlfriend but he totally was so into her." Ty Lee squints. "The Water Tribe one..."

"I don't know. Do I look like I've spoken to my brother?" Azula shrugs and wishes she had numbered the pages more clearly.

"Nope. Not since he bailed you out of ─"

"My parents are also unaware of that, which is _why _I had to ask my stupid brother to help me instead of my powerful father," Azula snaps, her eyes flashing and flickering with gilded panic.

"Yeah, I don't think they would consider you fit at all for being sole benefactor after the whole Fire Nation Psycho reenactment." Ty Lee is laughing again, now to the point of wheezing. Azula is again repulsed by her frivolous conduct.

"It was not... _No_. I didn't kill anyone." Azula closes the binder and rubs her temples.

"I don't think he did either. Wasn't it all a dream or something?" Ty Lee seems lost in thought now.

"Some kind of sick perverse fantasy. I am not sure, there was a sequel, wasn't there?"

"Earth Kingdom Psycho. I thought it was better."

"Right, whatever." Azula waves her hand dismissively. "Speaking of horror movies, we have absolutely never had sex. We are both total virgins."

"I got that part. It was in all caps at the top. Blue, though. Why didn't you use red?" Ty Lee remarks, thinking that most people have assumed that their frigid boss probably does not get laid remotely often. Which is not true.

"Because blue is actually the brightest and most noticeable color to the human ─ Ugh. Save tedious interruptions for the dinner." Azula bites her lower lip.

Ty Lee now looks quite severe, which is strange on her Bambi eyes and sweet face. "You're being mean again. If you're mean to me, I'm just going to leave."

"This is not mean. This is normal. Right, we are planning on...?"

"A wedding and two kids." Ty Lee groans and pointedly examines her fingernails.

"Yes. What kind of kids?" Azula leans forward expectantly, her sweater falling loose and exposing lily-white skin.

"... the human kind? I don't know, Azula!" Ty Lee slumps in Azula's desk chair and examines the little dragon figurines amongst firebending medals, and... every kind of medal and trophy.

Oh, and some gel pens that are in perfectly intact order and still have all of the caps after a decade. Ty Lee couldn't keep that up in a single school year.

"We have to have a reasonable plan for this future." Azula says it as if it is their _real _future and Ty Lee starts toying with the pink gel pen.

"It's really sad that we have no actual plans for our future, but you wrote a novel about a fake future to make your father give you all his money once he dies."

"We can talk about our real future after we openly state the serious nature of our relationship. I think that it is only appropriate that we opt for a very traditional marriage overseen by Fire Sages and then have two of _what kind of kids_?"

"Human ones!" Ty Lee shrieks and they both fall silent for a moment in case someone heard them. There is no response after several tense heartbeats, and so they move on.

"No. We either have to have some kind of jerk donor who we pretend doesn't exist, or, alternatively someone like my brother or whatever. That's for the first child, of course," Azula states coolly.

"The planned one."

"They are _both planned_. Do you not see the Agni Temple decals and Fire Nation flag in this room? No, I'm not going to tell my parents that I'm intending on getting knocked up with some unplanned child!"

Ty Lee is unfazed by the snapped orders and winds up over thinking a single statement."Wait. Wait, you just said that your brother was an optional donor, but you're the mother."

Azula is disgusted."Are you serious? That would be if you had the child. Why did you even ask me that?"

"I'm clarifying. I don't know anything about your family at all. Maybe that's normal for you guys. I mean, sometimes families love each other a little too much..."

Azula ignores that statement and says, "The second one is hypothetical."

"They're both hypothetical. You're the one who said we were never having children." Ty Lee pouts again and Azula covers her eyes with her manicured hands.

"In this fake scenario, the first one is all planned out for after we marry, but we think we will have a second as well, at some point. Cue quaint laughter or whatever."

"Boys or girls?"

"Girls. You didn't skim did you? You didn't even look," Azula snaps ferociously, beginning to panic at what could come to pass tonight.

"Why girls?" Ty Lee is confused by the notion that Azula insists on girl children.

"Because I said so, that's why. Can you imagine us with a son? That would be ridiculous. No one has ever imagined us with anything but a little girl," Azula says coldly and Ty Lee does agree. It would be super absurd for them to ever have a son.

Ty Lee rubs her chin. "So, this wedding thing? Are we engaged?"

"No. No, we are very in love and saving ourselves for marriage to each other," Azula groans, now lying on her bed and staring hopelessly at the ceiling.

Ty Lee sniggers again. "Right. We never had sex in your house as teenagers before."

"In this fake scenario, yes!" Azula shrieks.

"Calm down. So, this is completely wholesome lesbian loving. I get it." Ty Lee smiles faintly.

Azula does not pick up remotely on how much of a joke Ty Lee finds this to be. Or if she does, she ignores it. "Precisely. On to our careers and how they are better than everyone else's."

"Why can't we be honest about this one? It's not like we don't have awesome jobs or anything," Ty Lee admits, starting to color on her designer jeans with the gel pen.

"Truthbending. You are a very classy stage actress, who now is definitely _not _living with me. By day you are studying in school to learn engineering."

"I know literally nothing about that," Ty Lee says, cocking an eyebrow.

"Neither does anyone else here. Just say things about steam and impenetrableness," Azula says with a soft sigh.

Ty Lee finds Azula's old favorite perfume and sprits it all over herself. The room is then filled with the scent of lilac opium scent.

"You mean your father wouldn't approve of you dating an exotic dancer who became your secretary who then used your copious money to get a job in alternative medicine?" she asks as soon as she has made the room toxic.

Azula strongly doubts that her father believes in raiki or quiet psychic readings in dark rooms with ocean sounds in the background. She certainly doesn't.

"He probably wouldn't. So, that's easy. Just go with what I say. Honestly, we're going to have to do some improvisation because what if my brother somehow found a deeply hidden talent in our absence?" Azula says earnestly and Ty Lee has utterly given up on trying to talk her out of her anxieties.

It simply is not working this time.

"Then we have to top him?" Ty Lee asks dryly. She caps the gel pen and sighs.

"Yes."

"Well, I can do some party tricks probably. Like, oh, I can sword-swallow, and walk on my hands for like five minutes before getting too dizzy. Once I did ten but I threw up."

"I know. I was there. It was awful. Sword-swallowing is not an appropriate party trick. Neither is walking on your hands."

"I wasn't aware that this was a Fire Nation Prison Camp," Ty Lee grumbles to herself, before saying more brightly, "Okay, but the best most people can do is like fit their fist in their mouth or something."

"That is also not appropriate."

"Oh, my thumb is double jointed!" Ty Lee lifts up her hand and displays the grotesque quirk. Azula's lip twists into a snarl.

"Not a party trick. A deformity." Azula sighs.

"You're being mean again. There's no way your dad is going to approve of you being a jerk to your future wife."

"Well, he was such a jerk to his wife that she left him," Azula replies in a sugary sweet tone.

"Are there any notes in your lying-to-get-an-inheritance novel about how I am totally okay with all of your abandonment issues?"

"I don't have abandonment issues." Azula sits straight up.

Ty Lee starts laughing again and Azula just wants to run and get a flight out of Caldera as fast as possible. "Do you remember the time you lost me in the grocery store─?"

"It was a _mall_. Can we go back to the script? I need you to wear coral pink lipstick." Azula rummages again, looking for the coral pink shade.

"Why?" This is literally the most of absurd thing Ty Lee has ever done because Azula felt like it, and that is a huge statement.

"Because it has been decided that your lips must be coral pink," Azula states coldly. Although Ty Lee always forgoes lipstick, it just seems _right _for her lips to be coral pink.

"It has been decided by you, the control freak. I don't want to leave this reunion, because I love you, but I'm making a tally of every cruel comment and controlling thing you do and if it's over twenty, we're going to relationship counseling." If only Azula didn't hate therapists so much.

Azula, reminded yet again of her need for dominance and how it _bothers _Ty Lee, sighs and decides to save her relationship by generously offering, "Fine, what do you want to add to our portfolio?"

Ty Lee does not even have to think about it. "The fact that I am the one who has made all of the sacrifices in our relationship."

"What? That's absurd," Azula says coldly, her golden eyes flashing.

"Name one sacrifice you've made." Ty Lee cocks an eyebrow and taps her fingers on the chair expectantly.

"I buy you things and I actually apologized to you once which is the only real apology I have _ever _given anyone," Azula says and rests her case. "If that apology does not count as a symbol of my undying love for you, I don't know what does."

Ty Lee just slowly shakes her head with a wicked smile. "Well, I decided to leave my stable dream job to help you get it together. I am the only person who coaxes you out of bed in the morning when you say you're giving up. I always let you win in arguments even when you are _super wrong_. Since you refuse to cooperate with anyone else in your life, given that you have no friends, I have to drop everything whenever you need something, because I am the Azula Whisperer."

"You can put that last part in the portfolio. I like it." _The Azula Whisperer_. That's gorgeous.

"Oh, right, and every time we inevitably break up because of _your _awful transgressions, I come back," Ty Lee says, jabbing her finger into the air.

There is a brief silence.

Azula looks at her feet as she thinks about what this truly means for them."You make this sound really depressing."

"I know." Ty Lee frowns and thinks about her words as well.

"Are we...? Are we awful for each other?" This comes up too often, but they always brush the question aside and change the subject.

Of course, right now, at Azula's family reunion, does it all burst.

"Sometimes. Duh. We break each other's hearts _constantly_. I mean, I've lost count of the betrayals at this point. But we'll _always _fight, but we'll make up too. And _yes _I'm pretty sure I'm the only person you've regretted upsetting." Ty Lee shrugs and Azula thinks she might be right.

"And, honestly, as I feel about my own, I'd have to say that the good and bad qualities of our relationship are one and the same," Azula adds.

"You want to know why we hurt each other so bad? Because we've known each other our whole lives, and admit it _you so love me_. I'm going to love and stand by you absolutely no matter what. I don't care if you burn down this house by noon tomorrow, or if maybe you probably shouldn't be trusted with scissors or any actual responsibilities that you have. But, since we're close..."

"We both know exactly where to stab the knife," Azula finishes.

"Let me be totally honest, I didn't read any of the script you gave me on the plane, but if I were to propose to you tonight, I would say that I'd rather be married to broken jade than smooth clay." Ty Lee smiles and bats her eyelashes, hoping for Azula to swoon, but knowing she won't.

"Did you make that up?" Azula asks, truly startled.

"Nah, I stole it from a book. But it fits us so well, right?"

"I didn't know you could read."

"Shut up."

"Let's get married."

"Be more _romantic_."

"Let's get married or I will kidnap you." Azula reaches into her pocket and picks up the ring that she meant to flaunt in front of her family as she beautifully proposed and watched everyone's faces contort with pure agony.

"More romantic. I just gave you a damned poem about how you are beautiful even when messed up, and that's all you've got?" Ty Lee does not notice the ring even though the rock could knock out a platypus bear.

"Fine. I would say that there is no marriage like a marriage to me, because a marriage to me is mandatory," Azula offers.

"Just let me propose." Ty Lee does not think this will go well. "That broken jade quote is really impressive."

Azula's patience shatters. "I am the good with words one! You stole it from a book. I could sell ice to a Water Tribesman! You would be fortunate to be proposed to by me in front of my entire family to make them feel horrible about what failures they are because none of them could get such a hot and perfect wife, who _no one _questions as being _perfect for me_!"

"I'm questioning!" Silence. "No, I'm really not questioning. That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"So, should we just go for already engaged?"

"Why not?"

"I have to redraft _everything _now." Azula groans, picking up the binder again, and Ty Lee pries the ring she just noticed from her hands.


	78. The Great Outdoors

_(Theme 78) _**The Great Outdoors**

_(As Prompted By) _**DearLemonLima**

Ozai already knows that Azula is up to something dark when she asks for him to join her at a private lunch in the sunny veranda.

While his little princess does enjoy spending time with him, her eagerness was off-putting. In his family, people do not want to spend time together unless they _need _something.

Azula has just returned from Ember Island, and still has salt embedded in her dark hair, but her eyes are gleaming with whatever she thinks her next step is. He had hoped that the vacation would tire his children out, but perhaps tiring them out only worked when they were finicky toddlers.

"That vacation was truly refreshing, father," Azula says regally with that look she gets only when she wants something. "I was thinking about possibly taking another."

Fire Lord Ozai stares at her in utter doubt. His daughter loathes vacations, and she would rather break bones than take breaks. But here she is, with that glitter that she learned from a very young age. She used to not bother at all with her nannies or mother, but she would start wailing, or dropping things, or widening her eyes, and he wound up doing as she pleased.

"I am supposed to believe that?" Ozai looks at his lemon water and avoids her irresistible, begging gaze. "You have been itching to get back into preparing for my-_your _invasion plans. And you want to go relax again?"

Azula drums her fingers on the table, her sharp nails making a sound like a waterfall. Ozai takes a sip and prepares for everything she is going to try.

"You see, I know very well that my focus will need to shift to the comet, as soon as the invasion is over, and then the aftermath... I would like to escape before I move on to matters or more importance. Ember Island was just a taste that made me realize how important it is for me to decompress before being your weapon of mass destruction," Azula says sweetly, looking at him with a genuine hope in her eyes.

He is uncertain if he believes her, but he is struggling. _Struggling_. The conqueror of nations, the most powerful man in the world, struggling to keep his daughter from going on a ridiculous camping trip with her circus slut friend. "This isn't your plan, is it?"

Princess Azula is caught there. She may be a magnificent liar, but she cannot conceal this; her father knows her much too well.

"No. After Ember Island Ty Lee said I had to loosen up more. She invited me to go with her on a trip up outside of the Caldera and into the wild out there. She supposedly found a beautiful place that was more serene than crowded places," Azula admits half-truthfully, her eyelashes fluttering. "It probably had something to do with the fact that I talked exclusively about the war and she said that perhaps I needed a more tranquil place than a crowded beach to clear my mind."

Well, _that _is a lie. After Ember Island, Ty Lee and Azula have had to confront a variety of feelings. Because on Ember Island, they came very close to sex before Azula pushed away and panicked. Because on Ember Island, after the bonfire, Ty Lee admitted harbored feelings.

Feelings Azula also has, but she refuses to speak of.

They need, in Azula's opinion, to work these out before they are able to move on with conquest. A vacation far away from the poisonous place that shattered their delicate balance was what Ty Lee suggested, and Azula was startled by what a good idea it was.

Azula should just ignore what her body and the raw, base adolescent part of her wants to do. The small but loud piece of her being that wants to act on this before it goes away again. And maybe disappearing would not be so dreadful.

"If you're accompanied by soldiers, I will allow it," Ozai says and Azula chews on her lip.

By soldiers, he of course means _spies_. And that makes Azula want to fling herself around the table and throttle him. But she calms her breathing and decides that she will just have to work around his demands.

"What if we just bring Mai and Zuko?" Azula suggests, batting her eyelashes again.

"I will bargain, this once. The soldiers will wait for you near wherever you decide to camp, in case anything were to happen. Your brother and Mai will accompany you wherever you go," Ozai says, deciding that sending his son and the one who sighs a lot would put a damper in anything that _that _girl has planned for Azula.

He has the deep concern that the playful one dressed like a prostitute wants his daughter to loosen up in ways that have nothing to do with stars and hikes.

Because he was her age once, and he wants to raise her to be nothing like that.

"Thank you father." Azula smiles and he watches her walk away with the sudden sensation that he cannot let her do this kind of thing to him again.

[X]

The sun is blazing, and Azula is not sure if she likes the great outdoors. Ty Lee is enthused to be outside in the wild, but Azula thinks she might hate it. The Earth Kingdom was bad enough; this place is just damp but hot and quiet but noisy and Azula _hates it._

"You know what I hate?" Mai groans as they move away from their escort of far too many soldiers for this, and start heading down a winding dirt path to the cliff-side campsite they were designated to stay at.

"Everything," Ty Lee grumbles, annoyed, as she grabs Azula and starts walking ahead of the two wet blankets. Ty Lee had meant to get Azula _alone_, to talk in the peaceful woods, to talk away from where Azula is Princess Azula and Ty Lee is her servant.

Maybe to make love underneath the stars. Ty Lee _is _quite hungry after their close call.

But, of course, Zuko and Mai.

"Camping. The outdoors. Just generally all of this," Mai says and Azula and Zuko admittedly, completely agree with her on this one. "I told my parents to say no but apparently they think this is a great step towards me becoming Fire Lady."

"I don't understand why my father thinks I'm a good babysitter for Azula." Zuko furrows his brow, they just exchange a glance and shrug and follow Azula and Ty Lee towards their designated spot. It _is _substantially nicer than everywhere they stayed in the horrible Earth Kingdom.

"Look, there's running water and actual human comforts," Mai says, sounding very mildly glad about it. Their designated spot isn't so bad, after all.

"This isn't where we're staying," Ty Lee says softly and Zuko groans. They clearly will not be staying in their designated spot.

Father is going to _murder _him, as he cannot move fast enough to stop Azula and Ty Lee from leaping off of the rocks on the cliff with the supposedly gorgeous view of the sunrise and sunset and sliding down into the thick of the forest.

"Are we following them?" Mai asks and Zuko groans again before nodding.

And, so, off they go, chasing those two girls who are absolutely taking this vacation in order to screw each other senseless.

Mai and Zuko _also _had a necessary conversation about Azula and Ty Lee. Zuko, of course, noticed none of it. Mai, however, _had _slept in close quarters before, and concealed waking up to one or the other wrapping legs over hips, pressed together without even consciously doing it.

In fact, they both confided their attraction to each other in Mai, and told her not to tell the other because they presumed it was unrequited. Watching them try to prove that they are not in love with each other by attempting to flirt with boys and insisting loudly on sleeping in different beds in Lo and Li's house backfired horribly.

Just try to go to a beach, or a festival, or a party with the person you desperately want, and not have it turn into a romantic fuckup of massive proportions.

Mai explained this to Zuko, and she thinks he now is officially very afraid of what might happen during this trip.

They finish sliding to a stop at the bottom of the hill, in which they find Azula lying on a rock with her clothes half off as Ty Lee carries both of their bags and sets up the campsite alone. It is a beautiful place, the most serene that Mai has ever seen in her life, not that she will say it.

The pool in the middle is gorgeous and the clearest water Mai has ever seen. That is likely because this is the _only _Fire Nation nature preserve, and everything else is polluted by a century of war. The forest around Caldera is wild, and it is a rare privilege to actually see this.

"How deep is that water?" Mai says softly to Zuko and he rolls his eyes. "Oh, come on. Maybe we can go skinny dipping. Before your father murders us, of course. I'm sure the last thing you want to see before your imminent execution is my tits."

"I guess," Zuko says and Mai walks ahead of him, rolling her amber eyes and tossing her bag onto the dust.

"Well, nice work," Mai suggests dryly before sitting down and leaving Zuko to help Ty Lee set up their camp.

[X]

The great outdoors make Mai, Zuko and Azula very uncomfortable as they shiver. They are damp from swimming. Even Mai joining, and even Azula coming into the water. Azula's feet rested on Ty Lee's knees for a few moments as Azula drifted, and it felt _good_. Good in ways that Azula thought she was going to be alone to sort out at some point.

But, she is in this horrible forest, just waiting for a platypus-bear. Maybe she should just preemptively burn it down. Rename it Fire Lord Azula Memorial Scorched Remnants of a Nature Preserve.

"I love this kind of thing!" Ty Lee cheers, grinning. "It was so fun in the Earth Kingdom, right?"

Locust-crickets respond to her. Azula glances at the fire that Mai, Ty Lee and Zuko are sitting at, and disappears into the shadows near the water. She wishes that they would realize the fact that they as a group should avoid bonfires at all cost.

She looks at the waves, and her distorted reflection. It captivates her momentarily as she hears Ty Lee blithely laughing, Zuko awkwardly laughing along, and silence from Mai. The moon is bright, the stars really are brilliant out here.

Azula has never experienced such peace. And she hates it. She hates being alone with her thoughts more than anything else. But she is not isolated with them for long, because as the fire flickers, fades and reignites, she suddenly finds someone beside her, smelling strongly of cinnamon.

"You ran off, huh?" Ty Lee says quietly as she sits down by the glassy pool and Azula decides to sit beside her. "I came on this trip to be with you. Uh, but I probably should have expected your dad having a lot of conditions."

"He does have to protect his only heir," Azula says coldly, and wishes she had some kind of better conversation. She wishes that this were as easy to her as everything else is. Ty Lee probably would be happier with the type of people who fawned over her on Ember Island.

"I know we don't talk much," Ty Lee says softly, hoping that this will work out. "But I think we do have to deal with everything between us, right?"

"I suppose," Azula offers coolly, shrugging her shoulders. Ty Lee frowns at that, but she has little else to say on the matter. "Not that there really is anything _between _us."

Ty Lee furrows her brow. She knows it is inappropriate to protest to anything Azula says but, "We took each other's close off and I'm pretty sure sucking on someone's neck and touching their ─"

"Is hormonal experimentation. Or perhaps simply my desire to do to you what those boys wanted to do," Azula says sharply and Ty Lee never did consider the latter.

Azula truly dislikes how much she is remembering the sensation of _touching Ty Lee's_...

"Okay, but did you want to do to me what those boys wanted to do because you wanted _me_, or because you were angry at me," Ty Lee says softly and Azula _knows _it is in her best interest to say it was the latter, and maintain her reputation.

"Because I was pretty afraid that someone else would do that to you, and I never would," Azula answers, and Ty Lee can see the brief pain in her face over admitting it openly.

Ty Lee cannot stop the smile. "You are the _only _person I want to do that with."

And she, knowing perhaps she will be pushed into the water and drowned, slides onto Azula's lap and straddles her. The kisses burn like fire, and they do not know what they are doing. Or maybe their bodies just know, because it is the most pleasurable thing Azula has ever done in her life.

Even more than Ba Sing Se, and _that_ is... well...

Azula's glimpses of the stars and trees are so much less interesting than what she is looking at and feeling on the ground.


	79. Honeymoon

_(Theme Seventy-Nine) _**Honeymoon**

_(As Prompted By) _**Don't Touch My Walkman**

It is their honeymoon.

But the thing about _eloping_, is that there is not necessarily a planned honeymoon. No one lines up tearfully at the wedding, and there is not exactly much time to make the decision and purchase a luxury hotel room at a volcanic spa.

Azula and Ty Lee, however, do not care at all.

They get married halfway between the Si Wong Desert and the nearest city, at a Fire Nation Colonial style ceremony. Azula insists upon the strict traditions of royalty, but they have to make a variety of very odd substitutes, like cinnamon instead of ground rubies, and cheap candles from a gross corner store instead of the handmade and ancient red candles said to be dipped in dragon's fire.

There was no gold. There were no copious flowers and endless silk and everyone in the entire Fire Nation watching breathlessly. It was so far from the glamorous event it was supposed to be, and Ty Lee was grimacing at her boring red sundress that was nothing like the gem studded gown she dreamt of.

But Azula realized that Ty Lee had never looked so beautiful. And that their wedding was perfect. Even perfect in _Azula's _eyes, which is nearly impossible.

Ty Lee just really loved watching Azula make the grown male officiant cry in frustration about Azula's demands.

And now they are in the desert, trying to decide what comes next.

"So, I suppose now we are supposed to celebrate this somewhere?" Azula suggests, examining the map resting on her lap. Ty Lee is not even looking at it, the desert heat too much to bear.

Azula cannot help but glance up again and again at the fact that Ty Lee has stripped down to her underwear in the middle of the desert. There is a part of Azula that wants to shout, _'Oh, Agni, Ty Lee, there's a spider-scorpion on you!' _and watch her panic, and another that wants to tackle her and make out.

It is odd. Azula acts upon neither impulse.

"It's up to you," Ty Lee says honestly. "Really, princess. It is. Just take me with you."

Azula sighs and examines the map again. "It needs to be perfect. Do you understand me?"

"Whatever you want," Ty Lee says as she wipes the sweat from her forehead.

"You're the one I imagine is constantly planning your wedding. Didn't you have this all figured out?" Azula asks with a derisive curl of her rosy lip.

Ty Lee shrugs.

"I do not care where we go, or what we do. I just want to do it with you."

"So, if I said that I wanted to go on our honeymoon in the middle of this desert, you wouldn't cry and complain?"

"Well, nobody would find us out here." Ty Lee is glowing and Azula both hates and loves it.

"Okay, in an abandoned and horrifying house somewhere in one of the ghost colonies," Azula suggests and Ty Lee giggles.

"I could use it as such an excuse to cuddle up beside you and never let go!"

"Fear and arousal do have the same biological reaction," Azula digresses and Ty Lee giggles again.

"You would know that," Ty Lee says, shaking her head.

"You would too." Azula smirks. "Okay, our honeymoon is at the Ba Sing Se Zoo, and we have to stay in an alleyway of the Lower Ring."

"Um, hiding from the cops is the most fun about marrying a war criminal! And I love animals." Ty Lee grins.

"In a pool of stagnant water."

"Dirty, I guess. Mmm."

"The tundra of the South Pole."

"If we don't share our heat we would die! That ups the stakes."

"Are you fucking with me?" is all Azula can say.

Ty Lee, Ty Lee who has been so particular about their _elopement _and practically illegal wedding. She actually insisted on buying new dresses and rings, and getting real Fire Sages to do it. Ty Lee, Ty Lee who decided to change the date of the _elopement _three times because of rain, until Azula carted her off into the desert to get it done.

"No. I'm not. I'm really happy right now," Ty Lee says so wholeheartedly that Azula is speechless. "My dream honeymoon was either skiing in the mountains, _or _Ember Island. But my dream wedding was very different from the one I settled for."

"_Settled_? You were impossible." Azula adjusts her thighs due to the fact that they have gone both numb, hot and stabbed with sharp grains of sand.

"I just want to be with you, okay? That's all."

No more needs to be said.


	80. Melodrama at the Theatre

A/N: This is a combo of two prompts but it's listed under the same title, it's both 'The Boy in the Iceberg' and "The Mean Parent is Not Who You Expect'.

* * *

_(Theme Eighty) _**Melodrama at the Theatre**

_(As Prompted By) _**GuitarBOSS**

Ty Lee has never seen _The Boy in the Iceberg_. It never crossed her mind to bother, even though it is supposed to be hilarious ─ it has now been revived as an actual parody, something that perhaps the Ember Island Players can accomplish. Perhaps.

No one was planning on mentioning it again, for fear of the new Fire Lord declaring it treason. A new ending and portrayal was offered to Fire Lord Zuko, but he had to admit, when he thought about it (and perhaps at the pleads of Toph and Sokka), it would be preserving history in posterity. _And_, it could be a great parody making light of a horrid war.

The _only _condition, to the surprise of the Ember Island Players, was that they put Zuko's scar on the right side.

(Sokka also demanded that he be allowed to add amended jokes.)

(Toph also refused to be played by a woman.)

And so, Zuko revived the family tradition of summers on Ember Island, having the vacation palace cleaned for his arrival, and feeling oddly glad to give Izumi a glimpse of his childhood not riddled with pained memories.

But taking vacations with children feels like an illegal form of torture.

And taking vacations with both Zuko and Azula probably _is _an illegal form of torture, Ty Lee must admit. In fact, Mai is currently hiding within the ferry, pretending to be taking a nap, since Azula has been clearly restraining a devastating outburst since the trip was announced.

Ty Lee is sitting on the edge of the ferry, the sun beating down on her back and neck. She squints at her wife and brother-in-law as they seem to be on the verge of a battle to the death, only two hours into the holiday.

"Don't you dare call this _educational_. It just sounds terrible." Azula narrows her eyes at her brother, even if she knows that it is too late. "They're much too young to go and sit quietly at a theatre."

"We did just fine," Zuko protests with an upturned palm and Azula scoffs.

"No. No we didn't. I'm fairly certain our mother slipped us sedatives," is her earnest response. Passionflower tea with a few _additives _other than sugar, passed off as a treat to the little ones...

Zuko frowns. "Well... those aren't okay for children."

"Do you actually not condone one of our mother's actions?" Azula scathingly asks, her sentence punctuated by a small scoff.

Ty Lee had no intention of getting involved in the conversation, but she can't help it now.

"No, sedatives are fine for kids," Ty Lee insists loudly. "My mom used to give them to me and my sisters. She would just line up a row of cups of juice and just, you know, one by one, off to sleep for the afternoon."

The royal siblings both laugh at that, even if Ty Lee was being completely serious. She does faintly giggle, and Azula strides away from her brother to sit beside someone who will agree with everything she says instead of being stubborn and wrong all the time.

"How about you fake an injury and we can go home? What will it cost me?" Azula whispers as she leans into the sunlight.

"I actually think this is going to be fun," Ty Lee says brightly and Azula looks at her as if she just pushed her out of a tree. "_No_, don't do that face. Our family has zero traditions, you know? I think that this one could be adorable."

"Hmph." Azula just crosses her arms.

"_Nooo_, not that face." Ty Lee raises two fingers menacingly and Azula is too apathetic to resist.

Despite the fact that she nearly falls off of the ferry when Ty Lee tries to poke her lips out of their quite comfortable pout.

[X]

It is a wonder that Izumi waits over twenty minutes to demand, "Are we there yet?"

"No. The house is on the other side of the island," very calmly replies Zuko and Azula for some reason seethes with hatred in the back of the carriage.

She is clueless as to why he is so _happy _about starting this _awful _tradition of taking their children to the Ember Island players every summer. It makes her want to scream, but she tries to stay focused on her daughter.

Her daughter, who _did not _wait over twenty minutes to start acting out from boredom, is trying to get Azula to snap out of her bitter reverie.

And so, to Azusami, "Stop hitting me," Azula says sharply, her eyebrow twitching. "Stop hitting me. _Stop_."

Zuko turns around and half-smiles, baffling Azula even further.

"It's like a wonderful journey back in time," Zuko remarks, his satisfied smirk widening.

"_Stop hitting me_," Azula snarls, and she pokes her daughter away. Of course, Azusami instantly bursts into howling, wailing tears.

"You cut me!" shrieks the little girl and Izumi's jaw drops in response. Now, the crown princess does not think she could _ever _get away with that, even with dad.

Ty Lee grimaces. Well, now this is about to collapse like a very shoddy sandcastle. She tries to summon the energy to calm Azusami, but Zuko and his peculiar good mood jumps in with a mocking insult.

"Azula, why did you hurt your child like that?" Zuko asks teasingly, hoping to avert a devastating disaster with humor, but she is not listening.

"I did not," Azula begins before sighing. Azusami is still sobbing like a mortally wounded animal. "Come here. Come here, it's okay. I didn't mean to cut you."

Azula takes the little girl into her arms as Ty Lee forces the carriage to be pulled over with a sigh. And so, Azula takes her daughter in her arms as Izumi leaps into the glorious freedom of the sandy side of the road.

She examines Azusami's arm, to find that it is not even _reddened_, despite the light white scratch from Princess Azula's nails. Ty Lee has no patience for that, but Azusami burrows into Azula and tries to hide from her _mean _mom.

"Ugh, you have to tell her that she deserved that," Mai sighs as she is yanked from her half-nap.

"No. It's..." Azula's eyebrow twitches as Azusami lets out another guttural howl.

"What did you do to her?" Izumi asks in abject horror. She thinks maybe her little cousin _isn't _just manipulating her aunt.

"It escalated. She was punching me and so I poked her away and apparently it hurt really badly." Azula is still holding Azusami. The little girl is clinging and wailing right at Azula as she catches a glimpse of Ty Lee leaving the carriage with a sour look in her protuberant eyes.

"Alright, this is the last time I tell you to scold our child," Ty Lee snaps after taking a split second to stretch her legs.

"Oh Agni, it actually _is _a journey back in time." Zuko can not-quite-fondly remember mother muttering that at their father about his sister.

"Do you have any suggestions or just cruel comments?" Azula demands and Azusami starts crying again.

Zuko steps outside, and now the entire royal family of the Fire Nation save for a disinterested Mai are standing on the side of a rural Ember Island road, surrounding a screaming little princess.

"Let me show you." Zuko stands and takes Azusami from a reluctant Azula.

He sets her down as she pouts and shouts, "You can't yell at me! You're not my dad!"

And Zuko says, very calmly, "I'm not going to yell at you. Because I am not angry, I am just disappointed."

Azula is about to laugh mockingly at his terrible parenting before Azusami sniffles once and then is silent. Now _that _is just absurd.

"Azula, you should do that sometime," Ty Lee remarks as she sees Azusami mumbling an apology to her Uncle Zuko.

Wordlessly, Azula glares at her wife again.

[X]

They are at last at the remodeled Summer Palace, which has been in disuse of the past few years. Children did not seem to lend itself towards vacationing, of which both sets of parents are incredibly aware. The play begins in a few hours, and Azula has secluded herself to a sun porch, staring out at one of Ember Island's world renowned sunsets with a cup of lukewarm tea in her hand.

Azula is interrupted and groans.

"Why are you so unpleasant anyway? I'm serious. I've asked you a million times." Ty Lee crosses her arms and steadies her stance. Azula can see she has no intention of leaving and that somehow makes this abysmally hot evening even worse.

"Because Zuko has clearly lost it. Just entirely."

"Is this because he did better parenting than you? It's not like he's that great either. I'm pretty sure I'm the only mean parent in this family. That's why they both fear me so much."

"No, while yes, our daughter is disgustingly unafraid of my wrath ─"

"_What_ wrath?" Ty Lee snorts with laughter. "I think the most you have ever punished her is very briefly taking away an _active _shrapnel mine before she cried and you _gave it back_."

Azula does not laugh and now Ty Lee is doubly concerned.

"While she is unafraid of my _wrath_," Azula reiterates, ignoring the flush in Ty Lee's cheeks from the absurdity, "I'm most annoyed by my brother and his _audacity_."

Ty Lee walks away from the door she was subtly blockading and sits down on Azula's lap uninvited. Azula briefly, as she sometimes does, finds herself missing the days in which Ty Lee just did whatever she said, or when Azula could just burst into violent hysterics and make everyone feel terrible about themselves.

It does feel nice, admittedly.

"What is his _audacity_ anyway?" Ty Lee asks with a hopeful smile. Maybe Azula is just being defiant because she hates that it was Zuko's idea.

"His audacity is the fact that the consolation prize of having a horrible childhood is the fact that when you grow up, you can make your own family and your own traditions that your children wind up hating. I am righteously sickened by the fact that he has suddenly become so nostalgic for something so awful." Azula moves to cross her arms, finds she cannot, and then just loosely wraps them around Ty Lee's waist.

Ty Lee quite suddenly understands. "Well, you could tell him he's being just like your father and devastate him for two weeks until Mai forces you to apologize again."

Her lips twitch playfully, and she moves to kiss Azula before realizing that this cannot be remedied by mocking Zuko. She really _is _upset about it.

"This is absurd. And I am tired of playing into his ego." Azula leans back, jostling Ty Lee's body. "I am also livid that you begged to come along in the first place. And more livid that I allowed it."

Ty Lee just swallows. "I think it'll be fun, okay?"

It isn't going to make Azula feel much better, but Ty Lee does lean in and kiss her, and then drag her lips to Azula's neck. _That _might make her feel slightly better, as Ty Lee is rolling up the bottom of her sheer skirt.

But then someone clears their throat. "Well hi. Clearly I am interrupting, but we're apparently leaving."

Mai. At least, Azula supposes as she suppresses the heat that was slowly spreading up her thighs, someone else is as miserable as she is.

[X]

Alright, Azula has to admit, perhaps on a scale of one to ten this _awful_ play was a solid twelve.

It was delightfully, delightfully horrid. Oh, and the _ending_! Alright, perhaps it is very distinctly parody in order to avoid being branded as _treason_, but Azula was watching raptly even as her daughter squirmed and jabbed Ty Lee and started wrestling with Izumi on the balcony before Mai picked them up by the scruffs of their necks like kittens and removed them.

"Next time we should dress up!" Ty Lee squeals, as they lean against the walls of the playhouse.

Zuko is escorting two little girls to buy souvenirs. To buy _all _of the souvenirs, as it seems.

"As what? As ourselves?" Azula asks with a tiny, derisive snicker. "I do hear that Zuko only allowed the play to be revived if his scar was on the right side..."

"No, we go as each other, right?" Ty Lee says excitedly, already fantasizing about the hilarious time she and her best friends will have. "It would be so, so, so fun. I mean, we don't go as just you and me, we all _dress up as each other_. Ooo, we could totally do _waaay _better acting than those people too. You'd be a great actress! You're _always _acting!"

"I will give you that. But I also have no intentions of ever returning." Azula shrugs. She probably could play any of those three better than the people on the stage.

"Still?" Ty Lee whines, giving Azula her most persuasively adorable gaze. "Oh, _come on_. You totally loved it! I tried to put my hand on your thigh and you smacked it away because you were _watching_!"

"Shush. People will think I approve of this vacation if you shout such slander about me," Azula hisses haughtily before turning her nose up.

"We could go tomorrow," Ty Lee offers, batting her eyelashes and touching her hip to her wife's.

"No." Silence.

Right on cue, Azusami and Izumi come careening through the packed corridors, both clutching streamers in opposing colors and leaving Zuko laden with their other purchases.

"Moms! Moms! Moms!" Azusami shrieks and Azula desperately wants to hide from the now gawking peasants. She was hoping they would not notice her. "Can we come back tomorrow? Can we?"

"Yes!" Ty Lee declares, and Azusami grins.

"I can't believe it!" She hugs Ty Lee tightly from below, nearly dropping her blue paper. "Mama said yes to something!"

Ty Lee laughs rather wickedly, because now Azula can't say no.

"Using our child against me..." mutters the sullen princess.

[X]

Beneath a star-studded sky, Azula sits near the beach with another lukewarm tea, looking at the two children locked in play combat. She isn't sure if she wants to laugh mirthlessly or vomit even more mirthlessly.

Ty Lee is beside her in silence, still relishing in her victory using Azula's weakness for Azusami.

But the blissful quiet is broken when Ty Lee says, "I really am amazed by how we can buy those children absolutely every expensive toy under the sun and they're most entertained by pieces of paper."

"Fake weapons. Kids love them." Azula shrugs. "Although they _are _real firebenders..."

"Are you suggesting that our daughter and niece have a legitimate Agni Kai on the beach?" Ty Lee giggles.

"It would cheer me up, yes." Azula sighs and sets down her tea. "Let's go to our room and let Zuko deal with the mess he caused. The only good thing that will come of this vacation is our ability to have some privacy."

Ty Lee does not protest as Azula seizes her hand without another word and they disappear into the summer home, locking their door.

Yes, the privacy is definitely well-utilized.


	81. The First Move

A/N: I know there was a TBC on the last chapter, but what I had was boring and didn't contribute at all. I might add to the ending of the last drabble in order to give some more conclusion, but I'm moving on since what I had wasn't good.  
Also: this is inspired by EDI in Mass Effect, by semi-request.

* * *

_(Theme Eighty-One) _**The First Move  
**

_(As Prompted By) _**n7raincoat**

Mai is not sure if she should be concerned or not as she watches Azula.

The princess always does look conniving, or distracted, or some kind of thousand yard stare. Mai is fairly certain that everyone around Azula might as well be furniture. However, right now she is staring at someone, and Mai does not think it is by accident.

Ever since they went on that horrible mandatory vacation, Azula has been even more conniving and detached from this plane of reality than usual. Mai would prefer to just agree with Azula's assertion that she is simply plotting for the Invasion or is tired. But it is so painfully obvious that she is in distress about Ty Lee.

And Mai does not want to do this. Ugh, she does not want to do this. But she kind of thinks she'll just throw up everywhere if she has to watch another agonizing display of sexual tension. So, to save her teeth from erosion, Mai walks over and sits silently beside her best friend since childhood.

"You're deep in thought. Plotting to overthrow another country?" Mai says calmly and Azula does not notice her at first. Mai then taps her on the shoulder and she jumps as if she was just smacked in the face.

"Don't _do _that!" Azula viciously snarls. "You're going to get yourself killed like that!"

Mai does not react with more than a shrug. "What's going on in your genius head? Does it involve politics? Does it involve war? Does it have soft, luxurious hair and unfairly not uneven tits?"

Azula just _hmphs _to herself and refuses to continue.

Mai rolls her eyes and wonders why she is doing this. "So, you're fine then and I can leave?"

"No," Azula says and Mai officially wishes she had not initiated this. "You want to know? I'm analyzing her behavior."

"Not that much to analyze..." Mai squints at Ty Lee and then glances back at Azula.

Azula sighs, and decides to make the best of her friend prying. "You have firsthand sexual experience."

"... What?" Mai manages to say, having no idea where that question comes from. "Uh, yeah, I guess..."

No, seriously, why is she even doing this? It's not like a conversation with Azula about her love life could ever go well. This is what Mai gets for trying to be a good friend.

Azula picks at her lips for a moment with her fingernails and then pouts. Perhaps this is how Azula reacts to actually caring about some.

"I believe I am possibly interested in her."

"You just noticed that right now?" Mai asks slowly, baffled by this being so revelatory for Azula.

"Well, a few weeks ago, maybe. I'm not sure, of course. How do I tell if I'm actually interested in her?"

Mai wrings her hands in thought for a second before saying, "Have you actually never had a crush on anyone before? Because that's not exactly surprising but..."

"No, I have never had any need for a crush. I've never even thought about it," Azula admits so casually.

"You are fourteen." One of them has had sex multiple times, and the other has never even had a crush before. And Mai thinks that if an outsider were to guess, they would assume it was the other way around.

"I know, I know. I do admit that I've confirmed that I am attracted to her," Azula says clinically and Mai is, again, unable to believe the fact that Azula had not noticed this even for a second.

"So you are interested in her."

"Yes. While I have become used to people just coming and going and honestly don't care, I have realized that am not numb to the possibility of her abandoning me, and I would like to permanently chain her to myself so she can never leave me."

"Don't say that when you ask her out."

"I'm not asking her out."

"That's what you have to do."

"I have to know if she's interested in me first," Azula snaps, her cold tone gone now and a very slight pink tint on her cheeks that Mai has never seen before once.

"Well, they pay attention to you. Talk to you a lot and stare. Smile at you or get awkward, and try to be close to you as often as possible. They laugh at all of your jokes even when they aren't funny, and touch your arm a lot when they talk to you probably. They're jealous, or try to make you jealous..."

"Yes, alright, all of the above apply. Well now I have to get her to make the move and willingly submit to me."

"Also not a charming pick up line." Mai then sighs. "You have to make the first move. If I waited for Zuko, I'd die of old age. And to be perfectly honest, I think you're the one who rejects Ty Lee's advances nonstop."

"Her advances?"

"Mhm. There have been a lot of them but I don't think you even notice."

Azula rolls her eyes. "Fine. You will ask her out for me."

"Are we twelve?" Mai asks and Azula rolls her eyes in frustration.

"I'll ask my brother to do it then," she declares although that would be utter humiliation and therefore she is _completely _lying.

"Yeah, he'll pass her a note and ask her to check the box yes or no." Mai has to fight not to laugh for the first time in a long time.

"You shut up." Azula sighs. "I am going to invite her to sleep over, and attempt those things that are traditionally romance, because that is much classier."

Mai shakes her head, mumbling to herself, _no, no it isn't..._

Then again, it's not like Ty Lee is that good at this anyway.

"Good luck permanently chaining your crush to your side!" Mai calls after her but she gets no reply other than the scuffing of Azula's shoe on the stone floor.


	82. Tyzula in Space!

**A/N: **This began as and was intended to be a very serious BSG/Firefly type of sci-fi AU, but then their romance just felt less _Battlestar Galactica (2003) _and very _Barbarella, Buck Rogers _or _Bioware _and so I wound up going in the parody direction. Due to that, it has some sexual themes and stronger language, but nothing graphic and I hope it's not offensive.

* * *

_(Theme Eighty-Two) _**Tyzula in Space!  
**

_(As Prompted By) _**Led Feynman M.D. D.D.S. Ph.D**

In a fiery star system of treachery and danger, our heroine is stranded...

Right now, Princess Azula, the Avenger of her World, is in a bind. One would wonder how such a talented woman who looks so gorgeous, and is so clever, and so famous could possibly be standing mere steps away from a menacing drop, plummeting down into the unfathomable sea of stars with her hands up in surrender.

Surrender to a girl in a (_"__very needlessly tight dress. How does she even fight in that? Well, yeah she was just seducing the Destroyer of Worlds but honestly...")_, who has just shoved several other meaningless characters ─ _people_, real people, with lives and families ─ overboard with no rescue.

And Azula, ("who is the hero, Ty Lee, so shut up about the dress"_)_, is without bending and in her underwear. (_"W__ell she usually is in her underwear, so it seems there isn't much of a real difference. You know armor is actually really sexy on you."). _And worse yet, she is at the absolute mercy of some nameless yet well dressed adversary. ("Well dressed, see? Now shut up and listen.")

The two women are in the red and black Fire Nation dreadnought spaceship, and the heroine is strong but appealing, with gilded eyes that _pop _more vibrantly than any color around her, and her lips are a blood red and her clothes (_"which always somehow for no reason are showing her nipples") _are navy and taut.

And the other is in a skin tight **_but classy_** pink dress (_"with the same clear malfunction as Azula's fabric"_) and with a braid in a muted chestnut hue. Her dark eyes are overwhelmed by how vibrant and overdone the sparkle and shine in them is.

"I at least deserve to know your name. Or, maybe what you _want _in this situation," Azula purrs, waiting for the suppressant on her bending to wear off. If she can stall this girl long enough, then perhaps the girl will be the one to go out of said quite menacing airlock. (_"As if."_)

"Why do you deserve that?" asks the girl, not even lowering her space sword by a fraction of an inch. "Nobody said that you deserve _anything_."

Hesitation. Azula licks her lips and her eyes narrow dramatically.

"Well, do you have any questions for me?" Azula offers, very distractingly and cleverly, trying to keep her tone calm. She is not calm; she is not calm at all.

(_"__Oh, stalling her, no one has ever thought of that before.")_

The nameless but sexy girl pauses, thinking over the offer. _Good_, that adds at least a few seconds to the clock ticking until Azula's likely death. The seconds and precious minutes show up, unseen, around her and her sexy enemy.

(_"You don't even need to call her sexy a thousand times, Azula. We know that our darling heroine is going to get out of the mess, or be thanked for getting someone out of the mess, or thank someone for getting out of the mess by having sex with them. It's a Republic City ─")_

"Yeah. I want to know your life story," the beautiful _**sexy**_ woman says very honestly of course, not a lovely chestnut hair out of place_ ("Even though she just fought like ten of those metal men things...")._

"Is that sarcasm?" asks the wise and clever Princess Azula. She glances over her shoulder and sees that they are nowhere near any land; this is certainly one of her most difficult fights since she singlehandedly brought down a Galaxy Devourer with her own lightning and charms. _("And charms, actually didn't she ask the Galaxy Devourer on a date or something? Or was it the other way around?)_

"_No_. I asked you about it and you told me to shut up. I want to know." The sexy woman pouts her gorgeous lips defiantly (_"Bec__ause she's clearly the main love interest who will have a "complex" relationship with our infallible and horrible heroine...")_

Azula hesitates and swallows. "Okay..." She takes a deep breath. "I probably should have seen you coming, since I showed up here an awful lot like you did. With nothing. I ran away, you see. Or... well, perhaps broke out of prison; same concept. I was written off by the former owner of this Space Station as some young little victim. Then I decided that I would kind of like to have this place for myself. So with everyone assuming I was useless and pretty, I cleansed the place with blue fire and no one has questioned my authority since."

"That's a cute story," the mystery beauty says with a steely and powerful look in her eyes and Azula cocks an eyebrow. "I believe you. I want to go back a little bit, though. Where were you born? Why did you run away from home in the first place?"

Azula's tongue flicks over her lips, the sweat on her body glistening. The eyes of the girl stepping slowly towards the hatch _yes because Azula is totally going to get stranded in space _scrutinizing the every move of her target without adjusting her grip on her space sword.

"I'm not Fire Empire anymore. I _know _that I did some really nasty things during my time in the military," her eyes glitter with very powerful and not at all wimpy tears _because that totally excuses her actions_, "but I've decided that I would rather use my talents for my personal gain instead of the gain of the Empire," Azula says as her finger moves and a small flicker of blue is evident.

The assassin expected her to be lying, but everything Azula has explained lines up with the dossier, and of course, all that has come before this pivotal moment.

"What if I guess why you're here and who sent you? Would you be willing to negotiate then?" Azula purrs and her overconfidence radiates like the vibrant sun that her people colonized.

"Fine," although the beauty is still sultry and not at all falling to the charms of our heroine. (_"__Ugh, this is awful_, _please... You have as much charm as a dead squirrel toad... In this not real life! I don't have those ridiculous body proportions and there aren't space ships either! Stop looking at me like that and just keep reading!")_

"My modifier sent you. The creator of the metal-hearts," **_ the very charming _**Azula says with a knowing trademark smirk, and the flash in the beauty's glittering eyes shows her that she is right. "He's the only person who could have told you everything about me, all of those little details you used to seduce me and get my guard down."

The assassins grip on her space sword falters as she exhales breathily. Azula dares to step forward, watching her swallow, reveling in it as all of th young women and men admire her. _I'm going to vomit is what._

"Of course he did. He wants you back," the assassin says forcefully, but now her confidence is revealed to be little more than a facade. "And the creator wants what you stole from him."

"Did he promise your freedom?" Azula purrs, striding towards her. "Did he?"

The beauty trembles sexily. _("__Oh, ugh, this is... There is literally no reason for me to suddenly be bursting into tears.")_ She says, her eyes glimmering innocently, "That doesn't matter. I am no one, and you are just a means to an end. Take two steps back before I slice you in half."

"But you can't. Because if you kill me, he won't ever get it back," Azula breathes as she advances, unsure if she will kiss or kill. _Just strangle me._ "Certainly he can't be foolish enough to have told you to just kill me and search my room. He taught me better than that. So tell me if he promised you your freedom, because I know what you are."

"I am a person you do not want to _fuck with_."

* * *

**"NO!"** shrieks Ty Lee, who has been commentating rudely and interrupting the flow of Azula's dramatic reading. She slams the comic shut. "Did you _approve_ this yet?"

Ty Lee and her fiancee are in their sparsely decorated and lemon scented Republic City apartment, Azula here on business with Fire Lord Zuko. Fifteen years after her downfall, she is no longer a whispered rumor, despite her flashbacks and nightmares, and is instead a very competent politician and celebrity, despite her... _villainous _past. Perhaps _because _of that past, the public has become so interested in her life.

Trends come and go in Republic City very quickly, and currently, it is _space_. The dark abyss of stars and horrible comets and solar eclipses, and moon spirits. So little is known of it, but stories of lone heroes and brave warriors came quickly back into fashion without a tyrannical regime.

Sokka decided that regular warriors were boring, and they should be in space.

And a famous genre, illogically, was born.

Now, M. Moto, a comic producer that makes illustrated serials about the famed lone wanderer types in the legends of the nations has been running a vastly consumed line featuring anyone and everyone from the One Hundred Year War.

Azula at last was extended an invitation.

Her plot, Ty Lee did not like one bit.

And Azula huffily replies, "Well, no, I haven't approved it yet, since apparently I am now a slave to my _peasant _girlfriend. And it's your fault if you hate it, because _you _are the one who insisted they could not run my special if you weren't my main love interest. It's almost _sweet _that you're so jealous and sad."

"No one else's specials were as _porny _as the one you were pitched," Ty Lee mutters in discontent. She crosses her arms and sighs.

Azula laughs a faux, icy cackle and Ty Lee grimaces. "There is _nothing _pornographic about the plot. I, _Space Princess Azula_, am the sole survivor of my destroyed planet. A planet destroyed by the _galaxy devourers_, and I of course am rebuilt by the main villain of the series. I've already been featured in most of the others. It's a beautiful story or revenge and redemption."

"And fucking your way through an imaginary outer space," Ty Lee replies, no longer bothering with being gentle and meek anymore. She clocked in fifteen years with this girl; she is not letting her have a comic serial of fucking her way through Sokka's outer space Universe.

"No. You're paranoid." Azula haughtily rolls her eyes and reaches to refill her rice wine.

"Well maybe you're so whipped that the galaxy devourers would laugh themselves to death as you have to ask your wife if you can sex them to death first," Ty Lee says, grinning despite how feeble that insult really was. Close enough.

Azula just turns away. "Galaxy devourers can only be killed by metalbending and lightningbending, _Ty Lee_."

"What's my name. Just, what's my character's name?" Ty Lee asks, wringing her hands and _debating _allowing a few issues.

"Compass Rose," Azula replies without a beat of thought.

"Was that a joke?" Ty Lee asks breathlessly, glaring at the now empty bottle. She could use it right now.

"No. Your name is Compass Rose." Azula shrugs, seeing nothing wrong with it.

"Ugh. Are you kidding me?" Ty Lee lies down and curls into a ball.

"Yes. Well, Mai said I should change it from the original."

"I don't think I want to ask what it was, but what was it?"

"Sunbeam Eclipse," Azula says with a cocked eyebrow.

"That sounds better," Ty Lee says earnestly before Azula nearly chokes on her mouthful of wine.

"It sounds better until you think about it for a few seconds." Azula waits and sighs. "Because solar eclipses only come once a year."

That _still _takes Ty Lee too long, but when she gets it, her eyes flash in anger. "_Ugh_! This is all so ridiculous. I can't believe that you're even buying into these people and them _monetizing _on the fame of war heroes and _war criminals _in your case!"

"I actually think this is romantic. Just imagine it, our love, but better, because it's in _space_."

"Do you actually think Sokka's crazy fantasy universe is cool?" Ty Lee groans.

"I think it's way more interesting than the other genres of chaining up Fire Nation people and brutalizing them, and of warriors hacking and slashing through Fire Nation oppressors. I mean mermaids are sexy, but the _sun colonies_, now..." Azula turns up a palm and Ty Lee does agree.

The fact that _most _warrior serials are about Fire Nation oppressors getting murdered and warriors fucking their way through _ordinary _landscapes makes the unknown of outer space kind of interesting.

"Okay, you and me in outer space is sexier than certain other scenarios," Ty Lee offers.

Azula smirks and launches into, "I actually got this _offer _for a follow up collection of short stories called _Azure Dream_, and it's another one capitalizing on that _outer space _craze nonsense, and I swear, you can be every love interest, as Sunbeam Rose."

"Sunbeam Rose, huh? That does seem okay." Ty Lee smiles.

"Yes. Do you want to read the rest of the comic now? We've already been through five."

"Fine. But I won't stop commenting."

"I will allow you that privilege with my divine generosity."

Ty Lee just sighs, not wanting to admit that she _does _kind of want to know what happens next. Even if these are all predictable trash and there's a shirtless woman and copious blue fire and lightning bolts on the front of most of them.


	83. Nyctophobia

_(Theme Eighty-Three) _**Nyctophobia**

_(As Prompted By) _**SlytherinSchoolgirl**

An eight year old Ty Lee lies in Azula's bed, frozen and terrified. Because she cannot get to sleep for the life of her, but the princess declared that she was tired and not to wake her under any circumstances. At home, Ty Lee tears her bed to shreds often trying to get settled and comfortable.

Yes, Azula's bed is big enough that there is probably enough room, but Ty Lee still has broken out into a sweat over the fact that she feels somewhat like somebody has just buried her alive with her eyes wide open and maybe dropped a huge venomous bug in with her.

Azula is also awake, although she is successfully pretending to be asleep. She is frozen in a silent vigil, her eyes uncertain how to remain on every looming shadow in the room at once, and her heart pounding. Ty Lee is too close. Azula should have had the foresight to demand that she sleep on the floor, but that would not have helped with the fact that it is pitch black in here.

It lasts for an _eternity_, and Ty Lee can barely breathe as she tries every useless trick her mom taught her to try to help her sleep. But then she is saved from her horrifying situation by the weirdest thing. Very slowly, the princess begins to sit up, slipping out of the blankets without displacing them, and she walks across the room.

Ty Lee stretches and moves, and releases as quickly as possible the pent up energy inside of a girl who was not built to sit still, which could be likened to a supernova. When she finally lies back down and begins to force her eyes shut, she notices that Azula has not come back.

Well, it is Ty Lee's first sleepover ever, and her mom told her not to pry, or intrude, or walk around the palace or bother anyone, but she does get up. She thinks briefly that she should come up with an excuse for why she is leaving Azula's room, but she does not have one.

After only a short walk down the hall, she is drawn into one of the million rooms because the lamplight coming from it is so bright. Instead of walking in on something and getting killed, as she very well could have, she finds the princess covered in silk blankets and half-asleep on an antique chaise longue.

The room is beautiful, but smaller and less grand, perhaps, than the princess's bedroom. The window is ajar, the night breeze creeping in and her small body is basked in moonlight. And the light that drew Ty Lee comes from four lamps that have been very recently lit, the candles have a very minimal amount of liquid wax in them.

Ty Lee disappears without waking Azula, sprawls herself out on the bed with only a tiny amount of regret and swears to take that secret to the grave.

_zzz_

"Oooo," Ty Lee says on their tenth sleepover, her eyes lighting up at the sight of a pretty thing. Azula has always been amused by the fact that Ty Lee so likes pretty things. She taps it very gently and watches it swirl before inhaling sharply.

It is a strange oddity, and like nothing Ty Lee has ever seen before. Azula is a bit fixated by the way her chestnut hair swirls around her body. The feelings inside of her, Azula is certain, are envy, envy of her body and how it is changing, and how much Azula thinks about it. How perfectly she has grown into herself.

Well, yes, Azula is beautiful and without a single flaw save for tiny uneven tits, but Ty Lee captivates her in the way that makes Azula want to capture her.

"It's a dream catcher," Azula says, having no idea at the time how well those words match her thoughts. Because her thoughts at the time will make no sense until she is much older. "And if you want to keep your fingers you will stop touching it."

"I've never heard of one," Ty Lee says as she quickly pulls her hand away and twists her fingers behind her back. Her cheeks flush light pink and Azula directs her eyes away and looks at the still rippling ribbons.

"My father gave it to me. They're spoils of war from the Water Tribe, or _were_, but this one was made in the Fire Nation. It's supposed to make sleep dreamless," Azula says coldly and precisely. Ty Lee nods with that small, coy smile. "Not that I believe in that sort of sham. _You _might, of course."

Azula thinks she prefers the bright, bold, reckless Ty Lee over this oddly demure one. The room seems too murky, and Azula does not like the unknown right now. It makes her heart beat slightly too quickly for her liking, and she makes sure to even the pace without Ty Lee noticing.

"I like to dream," Ty Lee says warmly, dizzily and Azula reclines, feeling comfortably superior now instead of disconcerted by the burning and twisting in her gut.

"Well, perhaps that's why no one ever takes you seriously." Azula was given it because her nightmares were so terrible.

It doesn't work.

_zzz_

Ten years later, Azula still has that dream catcher, and it is still just as much of a scam. And Azula has just had another passionate, heated tryst with her bodyguard, the woman she refuses to sleep in the same room with. Ty Lee sleeps on her own, and had no problem with that at first, but she and Azula have been rebuilding their romance from the start.

Every day, the dark, unknown in front of them becomes more and more illuminated, but, for some reason, that seems to make Azula more nervous. Ty Lee just wants to calm her, just wants for her to commit.

Ty Lee, however, knows that it is all about small steps. Very, very small steps.

It is the smallest of steps that take you across a tightrope without getting you a broken neck.

"You have to go to your room now," Azula says regally as soon as she collects herself, but Ty Lee does not melt and obey as the princess expected. That is _not _how it is supposed to work, Azula is certain, but Ty Lee disagrees.

"No, I don't," Ty Lee replies and Azula clenches her jaw. "You're awful and cold and selfish but you're not _this _kind of awful and cold and selfish."

"I don't know how you are so certain of that. This tryst is over, and you may leave."

Ty Lee purses her lips in a very unattractive pout of thought and concern. Azula keeps her posture as strong as possible, trying to maintain the facade of being disinterested and not desperate to be obeyed.

"Are you worried I'm going to kill you in your sleep?" Ty Lee bats her eyelashes and cocks her head to the side.

"I would think you should be more worried about me killing you." Azula smiles very faintly.

Ty Lee grins. But then she sits up on the mattress, the silk blankets falling around her, tan, naked body, in a manner that expresses her refusal to leave without answers. In an exposure that states she is comfortable with venturing into this darkness without looking back, and _please, please, just trust in me, please..._

"You know people say ignorance is bliss," Azula purrs and Ty Lee shrugs. She agrees, but she wants answers now, even if they aren't happy ones. "I _need you _to go home now. If not as an order from royalty, as a request from a friend, or slightly more than friend."

Ty Lee isn't sure what to say. "Fine. Fine," are not the right words, but she says them anyway. It always has been, even after of all of these years, been easier just to let Azula win. She stops before leaving the bed and adds, in hopes her hunch is right, "We really don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. We don't. I just want to be with you."

Azula wants her to pride to be wounded, but it is not. But her lip still curls into a distasteful snarl about the genuine look, the genuine desire to just _be there _with Azula and not _fix her_. It is much easier to use people who want to fix her than whatever the fuck Ty Lee is.

"I am not afraid of leaving the palace. I simply choose not to because the state of the Fire Nation disgusts and saddens me," Azula says haughtily, and Ty Lee does not believe her, but she does not actively show it either.

And so, instead of confronting all of the _real _feelings that are here, Ty Lee decides to tease. "You're still afraid of the dark, aren't you? It's okay."

Ty Lee lets herself smirk and then feels her hopes briefly dashed when Azula does not respond as Ty Lee thought that she would.

"I think perhaps it is you who should be afraid of the dark," Azula says and she has no idea why those words slipped from her lips. _Yes_, they were intimidating, but they had the layer of truth beneath them.

The fact that Azula does not want Ty Lee to spend the night because Azula is afraid of what Ty Lee will see in the dark here.

Like the screaming. Like the sleepwalking. Like anything else that could knock her from the pedestal she is contentedly perched on.

"Well, nobody said anything about sleeping," Ty Lee does insist. "I just said I wanted to stay the night."

Azula takes a slow deep breath. "I suppose I can allow it."

Because yes, Azula _is _afraid of leaving the palace, and she _is _afraid of whatever she is feeling for Ty Lee when this should just be fucking and nothing more, and she _is horrified _of what Ty Lee could witness if she stayed the night with Azula.

What Azula sees in her sleep is dreadful enough, but what those awake near her see seems to be twice as troubling. She supposes monsters in your head are more desirable than monsters in your head.

They play tile games, and talk about things that are not very important and neither of them really care about, but they do laugh, and even Azula laughs, and Azula refuses to let herself tire. She contorts the candles that are burning low around them in hopes of staying awake. But it is the last, last game of the night that winds up killing her plans of delaying Ty Lee's hopes of nudging their relationship along for just another day.

Azula falls asleep in Ty Lee's and the acrobat smiles very faintly.

This was a nice victory. The candles begin to die, very slowly, most of them probably only clinging to life by the force of the princess. Ty Lee helps her into bed and lies there beside her. For a moment, she feels like she is at that first sleepover again, horrified to move, as if she has been buried alive.

But she moves closer. And closer. And a little bit closer.

Azula wakes up in a panic. But the panic is not accompanied by screaming, or waking somewhere strange in the palace with her nails digging into her skin. She wakes because she does not remember falling asleep, and because the sunlight is pouring through the window.

It illuminates her body, and the body next to her.

She maneuvers around her... her _girlfriend_, very carefully, trying not to wake her, just like that first night, when Azula did not want to let her know. Of course, Ty Lee never mentioned it, and they both adjusted without acknowledgment.

Azula is in a panic because she didn't dream.

She doesn't believe in omens, alright? Azula might sometimes see things and feel things and she might be afraid to leave her home, but she doesn't believe in _omens_.

But perhaps if her mind is at ease enough to sleep beside someone, it might be at ease enough to attempt to try to do some of those things Azula yearns to do that she pretends Ty Lee is inconveniencing her by asking and begging about.

No. It doesn't...

It's not that easy.

A dreamless sleep means something, she supposes. Maybe if this morning is not catastrophic, Azula will go examine that teashop with Ty Lee.

But those secret and loathed fears aside, she is right now not at all afraid to be noticed by Ty Lee or the rising sun while she walks her fingers up the slumbering acrobat's sun-drenched arm.


	84. Tough Love

_(Theme Eighty-Four) _**Tough Love**

_(As Prompted By) _**xxlunareclipseoftheheartxx**

The disgraced Princess Azula has become infatuated with a woman who might as well be her warden. She likes to imagine her life as a prison, despite returning home of her own volition. And her eyes and thoughts linger far too long on her keeper, her warden, her Ty Lee. She was an old flame, and nothing more. But Azula keeps forgetting that.

"You don't wear your uniform around me," Azula notices aloud, and Ty Lee's reaction could be read in multiple ways. Surprise, arousal, anger, shame... "Why is that?"

"It's not very comfortable, and I don't really care." Ty Lee shrugs, smiles, pretends to be that plastic person that Azula cannot imagine she is.

There _has _to be some kind of turmoil within her that Azula can exploit, to expose her intentions. Because Azula has this need that she wants to satiate, even though she should know better than to pursue it. Yes, Ty Lee might be the first person to just quietly be there alongside the princess, not forcing anything, not offering any opinion and only giving sweet, shallow chatter that Azula finds distracting in a pleasurable way when her mind has turned against her.

And on the other side, Ty Lee has become infatuated with someone who she swore to protect and not become entangled with. Zuko asked for her help, to be a bodyguard for those around Azula, and it was convenient with the Kyoshi Warriors remaining to deal with the turmoil rising rapidly.

But Ty Lee has done much more protecting of Azula than protecting of people she might hurt.

Her eyes linger when Azula changes her clothes, and Ty Lee is not sure if she is looking more at how Azula lets herself waste away into nothing, or the parts of her body that heat her up. But it does not matter which way, because Azula tolerates Ty Lee, and Ty Lee alone, mostly because Ty Lee has no major motives, and does not seem to want to _fix _Azula like everyone else.

[X]

Ty Lee's reports to Zuko begin to become inaccurate when Azula first decides to try training again. And Ty Lee is not sure how much she should watch, although Azula bending is probably the exact thing that Ty Lee has been hired to watch.

It is poetry in motion, and there is no other way to describe it. Azula stumbles, and she scratches at the insides of her palms when she does, some quiet punishment that Ty Lee has no reason to comment on. If it isn't life threatening, Ty Lee has decided that Azula can just go ahead.

She looks so beautiful surrounded in blue, instead of surrounded in the shadows of her own misery and her aura the shade of dried blood. Ty Lee's lips twitch with a smile as she gazes.

Azula goes inside, they move on.

"I'm sore," Azula says, and it is the only weakness she has commented on, among all of them. "Fix it."

Ty Lee suddenly bristles at Azula's request, and the princess watches, enraptured by it.

"Where are you sore," Ty Lee asks as plainly and sweetly as she can. She tries to keep it platonic, she _really tries _and she deserves some credit for that.

Yet, when her hands rub smooth skin, brushing over what Azula has let atrophy for reasons that make Ty Lee want to scream at her. When Ty Lee is massaging this girl she wants so badly that she can barely contain herself, it is _impossible _to maintain professionalism.

And Azula, who has felt actual life and power for the first time in an eternity, now wants to take what is hers, and Ty Lee wants it bad. She wants it too. And so she does more than allow it as the fire escalates.

They want to deny their attraction, but they cannot.

[X]

Azula gets Ty Lee into bed with her every night easily, seeing as she is _improving _so much. Everyone is so happy, even _Suki_, even people who hate Azula are happy to see how the princess is starting to brush her hair and walk more than a few steps and even occasionally talk to people (even if it is mostly clever insults). Ty Lee feels special in many ways, concerned in others.

While Princess Azula's progress has been monumental, she collapses one day. She has stretched herself to far. Willpower as much of a resource as muscles or bending and Azula has tried to run ten marathons and fight a thousand Agni Kais in a day, expecting to do it easily.

People offer her platitudes that enrage her, and then just make her miss the solace of giving up. It felt good, and the progress felt _bad_ because being _fixed _disgusted her in the first place.

Her bed felt nice. Her plans of suicide were circumvented by both her horrid brother and her own desire to keep living, even if her existence was so pointless.

Azula does not speak to her_ warden_, but Ty Lee does her job anyway. All of it save for the thrilling and inspired sex, of course.

But Azula is in this for herself, even if she prefers Ty Lee's company. She is in this for herself, and so when she decides to quit, she scoffs at the idea of anyone trying to coax her into trying again.

Ty Lee sits there in the evening, refusing to move as she reclines, watching Azula languish in her bed. Azula assumes she is _thinking_, but Ty Lee could never have the words or wisdom to light a single spark within the princess.

"I don't really understand why you always wanted to conquer the world and run the Fire Nation and master firebending and that you _could _do all that, but you don't think or want to do that stuff for yourself," Ty Lee says through her teeth as she chews on her fingernail.

Azula wants to just turn away, but her infatuation compels her to speak. "You don't have anything to say that hasn't been said to me before."

Ty Lee scrunches up her nose in thought and stops biting her nail.

"Mmm. No, I probably don't. But I'm not afraid to tell you stuff that isn't motivational speaking or, like, uh, gentle whispering," Ty Lee says brightly, and Azula looks her up and down. "Like the fact that I know what Zuko has that you don't, what Zuko has that makes him fit to be Fire Lord and you not."

"What?" Azula asks shrilly, sitting straight up with molten eyes.

Ty Lee shrugs and blinks and chews on her nail again for a few seconds in which Azula can barely restrain herself from strangling her.

"See, the most successful people need talent, charisma and skills, yeah, like you. But they also need pain, and scars and to be defeated over and over again before they win."

"I have all of that!"

"I'm not done." Ty Lee drops her hand and suddenly looks serious. "The people who are fit to be Fire Lord and to make history are the people who use suffering as an advantage and lose a lot of battles but never get defeated. Zuko has that, you don't, and that's why he's on a throne and you're curled up in your bed planning your suicide."

Azula feels the knife of utter betrayal and has no clue what to make of it. "This is so far from my fault. You are the most to blame, so _how dare you _sit there and speak to me about my brother deserving the throne and me deserving _this_."

Ty Lee shakes her head. "None of what happened to you is your fault. _None of it_. But the fact that you're miserable totally is. And I'm so not gonna pretend that it's so okay because your negative vibes are so not sexy. I know you're sick, and I know some bad things happened, but Zuko is _Zuko_ which is like basically ten times more difficult to cope with than being sick, and have you ever thought about _Zuko's life_ like, Azula. Yeah, you're worse at life than Zuko. Because when your dad burned Zuko's face off and banished him, he didn't do whatever _this _is. He got up and was all like, _I'm gonna capture the Avatar and restore my honor_."

Azula hesitates and then looks at her thinning legs and her dirty sheets. Then her overgrown, brittle fingernails and the drawn curtains.

She feels an awful lot like she has been sleeping for a thousand years and someone just woke her by dousing her with ice water.

"You disgust me," Azula says, sitting up despite the pain in her back. "You've thought that about me, despite acting like you _want to help_, like you actually cared about me for a second. You never did."

Ty Lee wants to break, can feel her emotions trembling, but she breathes in.

"No. I care about you enough to tell you the truth. I care about you enough that I haven't said a single thing about how much, like, and how much and..." Ty Lee bites her lip _hard_, flustered. "I've been quiet, and just done my job, because I _know you _and I know you don't want people to fix you. It takes a lot for a person like me to be able to do stuff like this and to give and... you are _everything _to me. You are everything to me and I want to scream at you all the time all the stuff you don't want to hear but you have to hear, you know?"

Azula breathes out, feeling dizzy.

Ty Lee's mouth is dry as she continues, "You take orders from one person. _Yourself_. I can't tell you what to do, but you have a lot to be fighting for so you better get up and _do it _because I don't care about your whining and about who you blame or about the past."

"You love me. If I am your everything you should be groveling and clinging and offering me everything to make me better. Not calling me a fuck up who brought this on myself!" Azula declares in a wrathful, commanding tone that Sozin would envy.

But Ty Lee closes her eyes and steels herself. She _wants _to do those things so much, but _real love_, real love that isn't between two teenagers means sometimes telling the person you love things they don't want to hear. Sometimes it means telling Azula that Zuko _is _a better Fire Lord than she would be, because it is the _only _way to stop Azula's pain.

"I can't let you do this to yourself just because it's risky to tell you the truth? No. I love you, and I can't watch you be in pain anymore. If that pain were from somebody else, I would block their chi and throw them in the ocean, but you're doing it to yourself." Ty Lee stands up, because she has to go, because she can see Azula's expression, she can see the manipulative words that are about to come.

It took so long to be strong enough to say those words to Azula, to try to help her. Ty Lee cannot let it get ruined because she is scared. She wants real love, real love, not just an echo of what they had before.

All she does before she leaves is grab Azula and kiss her and hope she won't get killed. She has this ridiculous hope that leaving that mark will somehow seal the words with the knowledge that they really do come from the person who loves her most of all.

Nobody can force Azula to change. Nobody can explain to her just why her failure happened and what she can learn from it. Nobody can make the decision to choose living and moving on.

But as the kiss breaks, Ty Lee thinks she can give her an incentive. Azula lingers, not sure if she should say the words she had planned to trap Ty Lee, or if she should spit in her face, or laugh. But Azula hungers for more, despite the conflicted feelings within her, and she takes another kiss by force and refuses to let go this time.

Azula has never felt crazier than when she realizes that she wouldn't mind kissing those abhorrently insolent lips every day.


	85. Kintsukuroi

_(Theme Eighty-Five) _**Kintsukuroi**

_(As Prompted By) _**ThisUnitHasNoSoul**

Ty Lee loves gifts of all kinds, but she particularly loves wedding gifts. Because she loves weddings too, and it is the _perfect _combination of course. It is also delightful because she does not have to open the gifts in front of anyone, and so when she and Azula, or, mostly Azula, hate things, they do not have to pretend.

Or, Ty Lee does not have to pretend.

Azula is leaning, wrapped in the silk sheets, against the foot of the bed, with her legs on the stone floor. She has been interrupted from what was a perfect wedding night, because Ty Lee has very little patience. Azula humors her, because she thought the interruption would be brief.

It is not brief, and Azula intends to put an end to it, although finding the proper way to begin their marriage by telling her that she is bored by Ty Lee telling Azula about the things that excite her and would rather be in bed is... difficult.

However, the gifts all are clearly directed towards Ty Lee, and she seems to need to comment on all of them. Azula just waits, not bothering to look interested, but not portraying her usual disinterest either.

_The things she does for love_. Honestly, Azula has been given so many awards for what she does say.

But she should be given _far more _awards for the things she _doesn't _say.

Azula then picks up the gift from Iroh and the night takes a turn for the far less tedious.

"I think my uncle has finally truly gone senile. I've been saying it for years but no one believes me. What even is this? I mean, I know he has poor taste, but _Ty Lee_." Azula holds up the ugliest set of teapot and teacups and assorted tea paraphernalia she has ever seen.

"Wait, wait, no, he told me about those." Ty Lee rubs her face and tries to remember the very deep and long lecture he had with her while he showed them to her. "Ugh, there's like, I put notes on it inside of the package. What did you do with it?"

Azula glanced to her left. "I think that the wrapping paper was getting in our way."

Ty Lee looked at the ashes she did not notice while fawning over her gifts and narrowed her eyes in thought with her hands on her temples as if she could channel her supposed clairvoyance. She _knew _she could remember, while Azula was pretty certain that Uncle was just being cruel.

"This is hideous and I would say we should break it if it were not already broken and put together with deplorably poor craftsmanship. Perhaps he did it himself and considered it thoughtful? I think it is real gold, which is a shameful waste," Azula muses as she taps the teapot with one fingernail. "My brother could do a better job."

Ty Lee's face lights up. "No, no! It's broken intentionally!"

"That's what all people with no talent say when they suck at things." Azula shakes her head slowly with a faux expression of pity for Iroh.

Ty Lee makes a sound like a distressed cat as she tries to figure it out. She would _literally _kill for those _notes_.

"It's like symbolic," Ty Lee begins as Azula stares at her with low expectations. "Like, the tea stuff is broken, and then the gold is there so that it's prettier when it's put back together because of he said butterfly-moths are appreciated for their beauty but few people think about what they went through to get there? And like, uh, people, who cry over spilled tea, or no, he spilled tea on his hand when he was saying that I think, or maybe it was important..."

"This is trying to make sense of a madman's ravings." Azula shrugs. "Continue. It's funny."

"It's about like, gold being sparkly and _so many proverbs_ I don't know, and, uh... Look, okay, he said you would like it and appreciate the depth and meaning!"

Azula sighs and breaks one of the teacups. "He thought I would like it?"

Ty Lee groans and lies down on the stacks of beautiful clothes she has set up in excitement.

"It seemed really nice at the time. When I had the _notes_."

She looks forlorn and Azula tries to think quickly of how to make her feel better.

Clearly, the teapot upsets her, and so Azula throws it onto the stone floor and watches it crack. Ty Lee sits up again and Azula thinks she might have made it worse, despite the smile of her new wife.

"That's the symbolism!"

"That I hate the gift so much that I broke it? Or was it like some kind of test to see if I would be willing to destroy things to make you happy. I am. I would destroy most things, and kill most people and fight most dangerous animals for your happiness."

"That's very sweet. But, no, it's like..." Ty Lee points at the rubble of the teapot several times as if it makes her point clearer. "See, now nobody can fix it or something! I don't know!"

"Hm." Azula gazes at it as Ty Lee seethes. "Right."

"And like, you can't, apologize to teacups."

"I'm aware. I have never apologized to a teacup I have broken before," Azula purrs calmly as she leans against the foot of the bed. "The gold might be nice if melted into something. I still have no idea."

Ty Lee gives it one more try. "Okay, so, if you _were _to apologize to the teapot."

"I'm not going to."

"I know! It wouldn't... be put back together!"

"Why do I care? If I broke it, why would I want it to be put back together?"

Ty Lee lies down again. "I don't know. He really tried."

Azula waits for a moment and then smirks. Ty Lee squints at her.

"I think we are done with gifts. Which is actually torturous, and your monotonous and horrible interruption that I tolerated because I am_ so_ kind and generous has clearly ended since that was incredibly entertaining, unlike... I lost count. I did." Azula gently presses her hand against where her heart would be if she had one and Ty Lee gives in, feeling defeated and annoyed.

"Let's do fun stuff!" the acrobat declares eagerly.

"Of course."

[X]

When Azula gets out of bed in the morning, she sees Ty Lee lying on her stomach, stretched across the mattress in a position that should not be attainable by humans, examining the broken glass and gold still. The princess's lip twists; she has no idea why Ty Lee _cares _so much.

"Why are you still sad about that worthless tea set?" Azula asks with an eyebrow cocked. She then rolls her eyes. "Fine. It's called kintsukuroi and it's when you repair broken bowls or pottery with gold or silver, in order to show some _wise significance _about how the piece is more beautiful for have being broken."

"Thank ─ _you knew that_ _the whole time_?" Ty Lee is suddenly flushed for an entirely different reason than earlier. There is no way that Azula would just be _fucking with her _like...

No. No, that is exactly something that Azula would do. Ugh. If she were not so pretty and wonderful and perfect...

Azula hesitates briefly before doing an impression of Iroh that Ty Lee manages to not laugh at through steely willpower, "Oh, _Prince Zuko_, the one who falls and gets up is much stronger than the one who never fell..."

"That was a good impression but I can't believe you ─" Ty Lee says shrilly, but Azula refuses to stand down until Ty Lee forgets again. It should not be too difficult.

"A man who conquers himself is much greater than a man who conquers a thousand men in battle," she continues with more gravitas, "Prince Zuko, stop looking for happiness in the same place you lost it... Being happy does not mean that everything is perfect, it means that you have decided to look beyond your imperfections..."

Ty Lee picks at her lip as she thinks about Azula's impression for a moment. "Those are actually really good advice."

"No, not really. They make no sense and are no excuse for a last minute, pathetic wedding gift that he probably just grabbed off of his shelf." Azula rolls her eyes as she at last finds somewhat suitable clothing.

"I know someone who has done all of those things..." Ty Lee smirks. _Smirks_.

But Azula wins this round. "I know someone who I can very easily convince to give you lessons in _slowly_ putting layers of paint onto teapots as he _lectures_ about his life."

Ty Lee lies back down. Nope, not worth it.


	86. The Things I Do For Love

_(Theme Eighty-Six) _**The Things I Do for Love**

_(As Prompted By) _**GuitarBOSS &amp; YouNeverCanTell**

It is past midnight, and Azula is not sure why she is doing this in the first place.

This is the most disappointing use of her dreadful speaking lessons that she can possibly imagine, but so help her she is going to impress this woman, even if that means trying to explain to an indignant eight year old that her entire presentation is terrible and she is going to fail if she does not listen.

So far, it has resulted only in a snapped brush and inkwell thrown across the room.

Not by Azula. Honestly.

"You are a horrible teacher!" shrieks the little girl and Azula sits, stony-faced.

"No, you are just awful at learning and have no imagination or desire to succeed. And terrible time management skills seeing as I am doing _this _in the middle of the night while everyone else is sleeping away! I don't even know where your mother is, but I'm fairly certain she isn't coming back and she was lying when she said she just had to go the store and she _abandoned you forever _because of how awful you are at school projects."

"What?" she whispers, now abandoning the paper altogether as she glares at the person she thought was _fun_.

And then she starts making the most horrific sound Azula has ever heard in her life.

This is a horrible test and Azula thinks that she is going to quit.

"No, please stop crying. Stop making that noise. Stop making that noise. I will write your entire essay for you if you stop making that noise," Azula pleads sharply, but it only serves to make the little girl fly into further hysterics. "Your mother is not abandoning you. She's just indecisive about whatever it is you're making."

The excruciating sound _does _stop, but the little girl continues softly sobbing. Azula has a crisscross of parental urges that she cannot quite explain; one of them is to instantly apologize and make the child think she is the best in history, while the other is to just backhand her into the wall.

"I just want you to do it for me," the child whispers and Azula begins to take the parchment before realizing exactly what is happening here.

"You're being impossible just so you don't have to do things," Azula says and the little girl shakes her head too quickly. "It's not exactly reinventing the wheel. Stop making that noise! I am going to go to that school and just burn it to the ground. I don't care if I go to pris─"

The sound ceases and Azula stops her exasperated rant when the door finally opens. Azula straightens her posture and sets the paper down.

"Are you two making any progress?" Ty Lee asks so sweetly and Azula's eyebrow twitches.

"Yes, of course. Certainly more important progress than whatever you are doing with imitation silk and those ridiculous crafting supplies," Azula says and Ty Lee completely ignores her as she kicks the door shut with her heel.

"It's not ridiculous. You just have to be showy and look like you did a lot of work." Ty Lee laughs cavalierly and shrugs, as if this is not the most monumental exercise in frustration in history.

"No, you have to be verbally entertaining, memorable and have actual schoolwork beyond your years if you want to do anything with your life," Azula corrects in a slippery sweet tone that _nearly _covers up how close she is to snapping.

Azula has spent the last six months in the exploit of winning the heart of Ty Lee, who has a child. That requires giving the child copious gifts, being kind, and fulfilling that _fun aunt _status in order to make sure she is so beloved and admired that Ty Lee could not dispute her parenting skills.

Girls like Ty Lee love parenting skills.

"She's eight," the ex-acrobat interjects as she sits down on the tatami mat beside the coffee table and lays out her supplies.

"Right now in her life is the most important time to learn this. Don't you want her to have a bright future?" Pause. No effect. "I imagine that's why you're dating me."

"Of course." Ty Lee just shrugs. "And you're dating me because you don't have any better options."

"I do."

"Nuuuupe."

"I could date whoever I wanted to. I could date warlord whatever from this stupid school project if I want to."

"He's dead. And a guy. And you're way better at conquering than him."

"Clearly. I did conquer the entire Earth Kingdom at fourteen, and I was only capable of doing it because I know _how to focus my sentences on the point_."

"Nobody conquers the Earth Kingdom by being good at writing stupid essays!"

"Well, I'm pretty certain I conquered the Earth Kingdom and you didn't. Oh, and your mom helped slightly. By being excellent for morale."

"That's kind of sweet, and so thank you for good effort at a compliment. But help me with this thing. I don't even know what we're making so I just got some of everything that I could buy at three in the morning."

"So, illegal organs, drugs and a box of matches?"

"No. Some yarn and stuff.

"Right, and you will be doing this while she sits here and makes the sound of someone scraping metal across a wall while punching a cat?"

"She's going to do her own work. I'm helping because she's eight."

Azula's fingers twitch and Ty Lee thinks she saw a spark, but the princess composes hersel and forces a very pathetic excuse for a smile. Ty Lee bats her eyelashes and looks at the odd glue she bought from the creepy pawn shop on the East Side. She thinks that Azula probably now regrets her offer to help with the situation of homework, and this is the absolute _best _way to test her.

Ty Lee can be conniving too. "I got treats. Every time she gets another sentence and it's good, we give her a treat."

The little girl's eyes light up wide at that, and Azula clenches her jaw. That is a _terrible _idea, but she keeps her mouth shut as Ty Lee begins the saccharine act of tossing a child treats like a poodle-monkey she's training.

Azula attempts not to break as she thinks about all she will gain if she can remain that awesome, tolerant parental figure, and not someone who has quite the severe tongue lashing in her head for a girl this spoilt.

"She's written two sentences, how has she gotten six treats?" Azula snaps vehemently halfway through Ty Lee chiming _treat _again, just for her daughter offering a word or two to say.

Ty Lee pouts and Azula decides against standing down. But the acrobat nods and sets down the bag.

"Okay, yeah, I have given you too many treats. I broke my own rule," Ty Lee says and Azula struggles to read her intentions in the dead of the night, when she is pushed to the edge of a nervous breakdown by an assignment about cruel important ancient Fire Nation figures.

And the girl's jaw drops. "That's not fair! You're the meanest!"

And Azula has _zero _patience anymore, and no longer remotely cares about maintaining her manipulative reputation. "She is _not_ the meanest, and that is completely ridiculous. I am rather impressed by her ability to raise you when she was unable to even water a plant for the majority of her life, and I find it extremely attractive. I didn't even have a mom when I was your age."

"Did she abandon you because you're a horrible and mean teacher?" The little girl glowers.

Azula hesitates for a beat, but she prevents her very Ozai-esque reflexive reaction, and decides on a different path. "No. She abandoned me because I sold my younger sister to human traffickers at three in the morning two blocks away from here. Do you think they're still working, Ty Lee? I mean, I have no want for money, but you can easily make a thousand gold pieces for a child."

Ty Lee giggles before realizing herself. "That's not true. She just made that up, I swear. Her mom abandoned her because she had personal problems of her own, and nobody is abandoning anybody tonight, or selling a child to human traffickers."

"What if we traded her for a more grateful daughter?" Azula turns up her palm with an earnest expression.

"Azula." Ty Lee now has to work to contain her exhausted amusement.

"If you're squeamish about that, we could totally sell a child to a circus in exchange for a lion-vulture or something," the princess purrs as her gaze turns to the squirming child.

"The circus doesn't actually buy children, that's just what parents say to scare their kids into behaving," Ty Lee hisses.

"You just told her that? You are in the absolute perfect position to lie to her for at least three more years, due to the fact that you worked at the circus. You should've told her a harrowing tale of your mother selling you to the circus because you misbehaved."

"Also not true." Ty Lee gags on her suppressed giggles.

"I'm trying to help you." Azula pauses. "See how much I scared you just by saying a few words. I seriously doubt I could do that with _paper mache_."

"I don't like you anymore!" the little girl shrieks without trying to look pitiful or innocent. Now she glows with rage.

Azula has won. "Well, if we're not friends or family I have no reason to write this essay for you."

The little girl doesn't even think before deciding, "I'm going to write my essay _about you _instead of Warlord Aki!"

"Good."

"It's not going to be nice!"

"Better."

"You're supposed to apologize and give me things!" Now she is crying, and Azula is beginning to realize just how fast her facade is fading.

"I am giving you the gift of my wisdom and marvelous level of restraint to have put up with this for hours."

"Ugh!" And, to that, the little girl seizes the paper and pen, sloshing ink over herself when she grabs the stone basin.

Azula smirks; victory is sweet. "Now remember, editorial pieces always should include disguised hyperbole and a detachment that makes it read like facts."

"I don't know what that means," she growls like a tigerdillo, and she is gone, but not before stomping her foot at the doorway and waiting.

Ty Lee blinks a few times, uncertain what to say. Azula then realizes how much of a dreadful mistake she has made, and that she probably does not look so wonderful in Ty Lee's admiring eyes anymore. Threatening to sell her child might just do that.

"I'm proud of you," Ty Lee says and Azula is bewildered, her bloodshot eyes briefly wide before she collects herself. "I _am_. I really didn't think you would ever discipline her or act like an actual authority figure. It was almost good parenting."

Ty Lee was testing her, and Azula totally passed and so now Ty Lee has left the paper mache behind and thrown her arms around the confused princess.

"Almost is far too tame a word for this torture," Azula whispers into her hair.

"You love us."

"No, I don't. I really do know a lot of human traffickers from the Triad, and I have never valued family before..."

"You _looooove _us."

"Yes, I have proven that by making your child hate me."

"You care if my child hates you. And you care enough to have come over here to help her write a last minute project."

"I only care because you are excellent for _morale_."

Ty Lee smiles and stops just short of kissing her girlfriend; she presses a treat into her hand instead. Azula has no response to that.

"You _loooove _us."

And for once, Azula does not argue against that word.


	87. Daiquiries

**_AN: _**I'm replacing the sneak peek at my HG AU with an actual prompt/oneshot. I reposted it on my Tumblr just in case anyone wants to read it again, but next Saturday the excerpt is going to be included in Chapter Three of the fic. I'd rather use this slot in the limited space for original content that's not posted in the first chapters of another one of my fics._  
_

* * *

_(Theme Eighty-Seven) _**Daiquiris**

_(As Prompted By) _**Distracted by Lemons**

The water is cold but the girl in it is hot.

Azula does not hide the fact she is staring from the searing volcanic sand, and Ty Lee does not hide the fact that she is reveling in the lascivious gaze of the princess. Because she is on this insanely beautiful beach having an insane amount of fun with a completely insane war criminal on an insane vacation to an isle of exile.

Azula loves the sun but she hates the salt in the air. Flowers grow _everywhere _and she is fairly certain that ZuZu must have hired an entire _staff _of gardeners to try to distract her from the ugliness of her situation. Because how can she be unhappy with a huge window looking out over the sea and flowers everywhere. Ugh.

Ty Lee loves the cold water against her skin, loves the sun that she can feel scorching her skin and making her hair burn so hot it heats her bare shoulders.

"Stop going out of my line of sight! It is completely inappropriate!"

"And what's appropriate about that request?" Ty Lee giggles and Azula cocks an eyebrow.

She claps her hands on her lower abdomen and haughtily sighs. "You have a perverse mind. I am simply afraid that you will drown."

"Riiiiight." Ty Lee snorts very unattractively but Azula still thinks she is very, _very _attractive.

Azula sighs again, this time more dramatically. "You are the best addition to my morale that there has ever been. I hate this island, but you make it so _bearable_ by looking pretty and walking around half dressed."

"Thank you," because Ty Lee knows that Azula probably has real feelings and wants to cover them up with such a thing.

Of course It was not the flattering comment that Azula thought it was. But there are certain things about people that you just have to accept because you can't change them; those things like having to live with . Ty Lee brushes seaweed off of her arm and sighs about that fact of life.

She does attempt to explain in her sweetest voice, "I know, but it's still not a good compliment. I'm not a morale heightener even though I want you to be happy. I am a _competent warrior_ and my _fantastic assets_ have nothing to do with it."

Azula smirks, undeterred by Ty Lee's clear frustration. Her muscles are tense, visible through her dripping and exposed skin. And Azula purrs, "There's nothing wrong with that at all. There was absolutely no other reason for me allowing you into my elite team other than your fantastic assets. In _all _senses of that term, of course. Don't look at me like that."

"Don't lie like that. It's not cute." Ty Lee pouts and bats her eyelashes and Azula wonders what _ever _made Ty Lee think that such facial expressions were _hot_.

"_Oh_, but my pitiful situation is so ugly. Don't I deserve to look at pretty things?" Azula turns up her palm with an innocent shrug and Ty Lee sinks into the frigid water.

"I accept your compliment," Ty Lee states, cool water lapping into her mouth as she forces herself to say it.

"You only _accept _it? That's it?" Azula leans back and watches the sun disappear behind the clouds."You have hassled me to no end, and I at last relented, through great effort and a clear display of my affections, to give you compliments."

Azula reclines now on her throne built of scrubbed rock and Ty Lee's cute new vacation clothes, lying down as if she is about to take a cat nap. Ty Lee looks at her and thinks it is the sexiest, most romantic thing _ever_... and she really wishes she did not think that way.

Ty Lee splashes at the water with her hands. "Mmmm, but all of your compliments are about how I look, or how much you want to sleep with me."

"I give you an inch and you try to take a mile. This is what happens when the world loses its respect for monarchy..." Azula sighs too regally and for too long.

With a short sigh Azula pretends not to hear, Ty Lee sinks under the ocean, further, until Azula's mellifluous rant that is meant_ solely _as misdirection is just hums and vibrations above the surface.

Ty Lee swims a little further, but whenever she nears the edges of Azula's beautiful prison without bars, she feels a surge of panic, as if she is going to fall off the side of the world or get stabbed and arrested. She resurfaces, gasps for breath and drifts nearer to the shore.

"When have _you _ever given me a compliment that wasn't sexual or...?" Azula trails off as she remembers the fact that Ty Lee has complimented ─ "_You _have given me so many compliments about everything that they do not even count anymore. I bet if I threw my drink into your face you would, I don't know, compliment my aim." Pause. "Not that you _shouldn't_..."

Azula is so deep in thought about that suggestion that Ty Lee takes another deep breath and delves beneath the surface. She forces herself to open her eyes, ignoring the stinging; it isn't _nearly _as bad as Kyoshi Island and she used to have to swim there every morning as a training exercise.

But then she sees a fish, and the air escapes from her lungs in one gasp of horror. She pushes off with her feet, leaps to the surface, feels its _slime _touch her, and starts running as fast as she can, half-supporting herself with her hands as she dashes so quickly to Azula's eternal hell-soaked lair and slides across the beach, falling flat on her face.

Azula makes a yelping sound and Ty Lee looks up, blinking sand out of her protuberant eyes.

"Did I scare you?"

Pause. "_You knocked over my drink into the sand_."

Ty Lee closes her eyes again. "I'm going to take a nap. I'm just going to take a nap right now, right here," she mutters into the sand, pretending she doesn't know that Azula can hear her.

"That drink was very important to me Ty Lee and you have ruined it." Silence. Azula jabs her sort-of-girlfriend in the ribs with her bare toe and Ty Lee squeaks.

"What do you use those for? Climbing trees?" She rubs her ribcage and rolls over onto her back.

"There are no trees on this island. This might as well be the Boiling Rock if it decided to remodel and become _postcard friendly_."

"You live in a beach mansion. With an entire staff. And the ability to guilt trip Zuko into literally anything."

"_Yes _and I just recently guilt tripped him into buying me a fancy drink slave."

"A chef who knows how to mix those frozen berry things?"

"_A fancy drink slave_, Ty Lee. I know what I'm talking about."

"Of course, princess. You know I'm not that smart."

"I do. I had just used the normal _you are just like our father, you monster _act or whatever to get a fucking daiquiri to make this beach slightly more bearable, and you have knocked it into the sand to be devoured by sea creatures."

"I don't think sea creatures like daiquiris. Oh!" Ty Lee's face lights up so brightly that Azula has to fight _hard_ not to smile back at her. Why is this woman so abysmally cute? "Oh, imagine though if a little sea animal like, uh, uh, huh, like a... sunfish drank it and got drunk. What would happen if you got a sunfish drunk?"

Azula is torn into two pieces. She _could _tell Ty Lee that there were a _thousand _easy sea creatures who actually scavenge on land, or that sunfish probably _can't _get drunk, or she could kiss her on the mouth. They both would make the situation the same level of less terrible, and so Azula forces her lips tightly against Ty Lee's.

"You taste like sand and ocean. I hate the ocean. Have you smelled the ocean? It must be home to a thousand corpses and _fish fu_─"

"Stop whining and I'll make you another daiquiri. And clip your toenails." Ty Lee stands up with a tiny squawk of unpredicted levels of exertion. She wipes as much of the sand off of herself as she can, and fails. Then she moves to wipe it off with her tongue before she realizes she has just put _more sand _into her mouth, and it tastes faintly like berry tea and sunny Ember Island days.

"I don't believe I can walk now."

"I'm the one who _fell_?"

"I am emotionally devastated by losing my drink and almost losing you." Azula lies further back onto her perch. "I cannot physically bear to stand up and face the cruel world without having a nervous breakdown."

"Those are my cute vacation clothes. I bought them for this trip."

"_Why_? Who do you have to impress out _here_?"

Ty Lee's lip twitches as she faintly mouths _you_ before loudly interrupting, "Your fancy drink slave, of course. We're having an affair. That's how I learned to mix daiquiris."

Azula wordlessly extends her arms to be carried.

* * *

**_AN:_** If you write Tyzula (or read it, or like it at all) holmesfreak1412 and I have made a Tyzula Forum for discussing headcanons, suggesting prompts, reccing or self-plugging fics, creating Tyzula contests and generally discussing fun Tyzula things. I have no idea what I'm doing since I've never really done forums on here before, but if it piques your interest it's called The Tyzula Renaissance Forum.


	88. Fxcked My Way to the Top

**A/N: **This may come as a surprise, given the fact that I pretty much worship Lana Del Rey as a musical deity, but this was one of the most challenging prompts yet. The song worked really well for Tyzula, but I've been putting it off for almost a year because I wasn't sure what to do with it. I'm not sure if it turned out well, and it's not a comedy oneshot, so I hope it's at least entertaining or interesting.

* * *

_(Theme Eighty-Eight) "_**Fucked My Way Up to the Top" - Lana Del Rey**

_(As Prompted By) _**yellowroses100**

**.**

_I'm a dragon; you're a whore_

_Don't even know what you're good for_

**.**

Azula is sliding off half of her clothes in the dim candlelight that flickers between blue and orange. She has had a very successful session of manipulating a lying to the only person willing to vouch for her unconditionally. She has to manipulate and lie to the only person who still thinks Azula deserves to be groveled to.

It's her show. It's her life. Because the tease is a rush for Azula and she barely thinks about the girl watching, the girl she isn't sure if she loves or hates.

She feels no remorse as she gazes at her reflection in the sparkling diamonds that make up the necklace that Ty Lee is examining in her hand. Using people is what she does and everything she does she does best.

Ty Lee smells like sweet perfume when she leaps up and kisses her princess and Azula hates how it has changed from the cinnamon scent she used to have. Azula does not enjoy admitting the change, nor the change in power dynamic that she can feel pulsating through her despite her being the one pushing her supposed girlfriend onto the bed. It doesn't feel like reality and so Azula digs her nails into her own skin, and then into the girl in front of her.

_"More more more," _Ty Lee breathes.

Azula needs her. That's the worst change other than adulthood or betrayal; it's the fact that Azula needs Ty Lee more than Ty Lee needs her and that sort of thing is enough to make someone lose their mind. Azula doesn't like being domesticated, she doesn't like being the princess Ty Lee saves when really she is the dragon in the story.

The diamonds on Ty Lee's ribs are sharp and Azula brushes them aside as she descends on her prey who could so easily be her predator, but believes that Azula can be _good_. It's laughable. It's laughable and Ty Lee is laughing very softly.

Once upon a time it would have sounded nice.

But at some point, somebody saves the princess and slays the dragon.

Until then, however, Azula convinces herself that she is just fucking and lying her way to get back on her pedestal after such a hard fall.


	89. Cigarettes and Spiders (AU)

_(Theme Eighty-Nine) _**Cigarettes and Spiders [Modern AU]**

_(As Prompted By) _**KawaiiEyeliner &amp; Koka Kola Veins**

Ty Lee likes the way Azula smells. It is not abnormal to love that about your fiancée, even if her intoxicating scent is mostly that of intoxicants. They are lying in Azula's bed from when they were young, and Ty Lee cannot stop glancing at the shadowy vignettes of a life they have shared since they were little.

She thinks a lot about things that _combust_. Like the 4th of July sparklers that Azula could write with when Ty Lee just twirled them around and Mai dropped after two seconds because she found them boring. About the fact that Azula found a lighter on the side of the street with this completely awesome blue dragon on it, and she still has it to this day. Maybe it is because of how strongly the sheets have always smelled of that sweet, lethal security of smoke imbued in fabric.

Eventually, she cannot keep tossing and turning and struggling. She wiggles out of the bed and sets her feet on the ice cold floor. She never thought she would come back here like this; she never thought she would be Azula's date to her family Christmas. Or that she would somehow wind up _marrying _that girl-next-door everybody dreams about as a little kid.

Ty Lee walks into the bathroom and sees that foreign brand of hairspray that she does not know if Azula ever even _used._ She finds her toothbrush, which is tucked in among her eyeshadow-stained make-up bags and Azula's meticulously organized puzzle-box of a travel case.

She has only just grabbed it when her scream echoes through the cold manor. "Spider! Spider! Spider!"

Azula wakes up and instantly feels a surge of adrenaline. She quickly realizes that it is her _beloved _fiancée finding a spider, and not the nightmare she inhabited, and that the knife she is holding up in the darkness is completely unwarranted.

She sighs and walks across the hall to the guest bathroom. Ty Lee is on the counter holding a hairbrush like a club, her last line of defense against, "Oh, I actually think that kind might be venomous. Good thing you caught it before we went to sleep."

Ty Lee whimpers and clutches the hairbrush more tightly.

"Kill it, Azula. Kill it!" Ty Lee squeals.

"Give me that hairspray." Azula extends a hand expectantly in that _regal _CEO tone that drives Ty Lee crazier than her fiancée.

"Why-why? Azula, that hairspray is right by the spider!"

"Ugh. I'll get it myself. You're horrible and should learn to wash dishes if I'm going to do this," Azula snaps as she grabs the hairspray and Ty Lee hears a familiar _flick_.

"What are you doing? What are _doing_?"

"Killing the spider." Azula presses down, with that two-decade old blue dragon lighter and Ty Lee nearly falls through the solid wall because that _is not okay_.

A flamethrower has just erupted in the guest bathroom. They are _not even two days _into their visit. Also, _a flamethrower_.

"Do you think you're Ellen Ripley or something?" Ty Lee screeches. "You burnt the wall! They're going to be mad at us!"

"The wall is perfectly fine. It just needs... baby wipes or something. You asked me to kill the spider, and so I did." Azula smirks and Ty Lee pouts, averting her eyes from that sexy smugness.

"..."

Azula shrugs and purrs, "That's actually the only reason I have hairspray. My hair is gorgeous and perfect without any help."

"To kill spiders with fire? You can kill spiders with fire _without _hairspray! Why do you feel the need to do that?" Ty Lee hisses as she tries not to hyperventilate.

"Well, yes, but that's not any fun," Azula says with a dramatic sigh. "Here, I found a lighter in my step-mother's purse. You can have it."

Azula tosses it over and Ty Lee barely manages to catch it. "What do I need this for?"

"Next time there is a spider, you will see how fun it is to create a flamethrower." Azula also slides the hairspray to her girlfriend.

"..." Ty Lee is agape and really hates how fun that sounds.

Azula lectures, "It's such a shame most people don't smoke anymore. What if we were in a plane crash and needed to make a fire?"

"What if we needed health insurance because you burned us alive killing a spider?"

Azula shrugs. "I like to live dangerously."

Ty Lee wishes that weren't so sexy.


	90. Reverse Rescue

_(Theme Ninety) _**Reverse Rescue ("Enter the Ninja" - Die Antwoord)  
**

_(As Prompted By) _**SlytherinSchoolgirl &amp; sinking like stones  
**

Three nine-year-old girls play in Sozin Memorial Meadow. One is a remarkable princess, the other two are forgettable nobles, but they would look like any other best friends to the ignorant eye. Maybe they could be human, if they tried.

"'zula let's go!" Ty Lee shouts, grabbing her arm and tugging twice.

"Unhand me!" snaps the small princess and Ty Lee just laughs and laughs. She kind of likes ignoring her lessons on being Azula's friend. Azula will _not _confess that she likes it too. Ty Lee always listens and does whatever Azula says, but her playfulness feels less stilted than how most other people treat her.

"Come _on_," Ty Lee insists, smiling. She is missing one of her front teeth. "I wanna show you!"

Azula runs with her across the park, the flowers and tall grass licking at her calves. She can hear the bodyguards following them as Ty Lee drags Azula to a beautiful glade that the princess has to admit she thinks is pretty.

They drink in their surroundings before Azula suggests, "We should play a game," and both Mai and Ty Lee know she must already have an idea. "I think we should obviously fight some forest monsters."

Ty Lee grins, because any pretend game with Azula is worth playing. Mai is impartial to the concept.

"You two can help me fight the horrible forest monsters. We come across them while conquering the whole Earth Kingdom together," Azula explains, her prim tone of a real general discomfiting coming from the lips of a child. "Of course, you two are my lieutenants, because that's how it would work in real life."

"Of course," Mai adds and Azula nods at her. She appreciates being understood without questions.

"Ty Lee, you will get captured by the monsters."

"Uh, yeah!" Ty Lee agrees excitedly. Her heart is pounding as she thinks about how much this really feels like a crush today.

"You sound like you protest." Azula crosses her arms. Ty Lee blushes bright red.

"Nope, no I don't," Ty Lee stammers shrilly.

"Tell me," Azula orders and _no one _would argue with that tone.

"I… I _always _get captured by the monsters or pirates or evil Earth Queen," Ty Lee whines and Azula rolls her eyes.

"Fine. I will get captured by the monsters this time. And you will save your superior to receive... some medals, I suppose," Azula allows, shrugging.

Both of her friends are shocked. Azula is _never _generous in the games she invents. Then again, Ty Lee never protests. Ty Lee is the type of person who would do _anything _for Azula in their silly childhood games; she made pebbles into diamonds and scarves into dangerous ropes and a lantern to become the sun and herself to be whoever Azula wanted her to be.

_"You can't do this; you can't do that. You do as I say," _is Azula's catchphrase when playing pretend.

But this time, she wanted Azula to be her dream instead of the other way around. Ty Lee had expected to be instantly denied, and Azula looks skeptical, but Ty Lee has never felt so happy in her life. It confirms that Azula really is her friend, even if she sometimes treats her like nothing more than a sidekick. Azula is definitely unaware of Ty Lee's unrequited crush, however.

Ty Lee smiles, Azula demands help tying herself to a tree with Ty Lee's nicest scarf. It tears on the bark, but Ty Lee doesn't care one bit. This is too perfect.

And in the late afternoon, Ty Lee is not a forgettable noble; she is the rescuer of a Princess General Firebending Master who got snatched up by monsters and awaits her hero. Ty Lee _would _say heroes, but Mai got monster duty, as usual.

Ty Lee saves her princess.

**.**

Twenty minutes after Ty Lee became Azula's lieutenant, Azula allows her to be more than that this time. She is the sworn protector of her Fire General Princess who conquers the Earth Kingdom on her own, and must save her from the Earth Queen.

"Just _hold her_, Mai. And try to be threatening," Ty Lee orders and Azula smirks at the way she _squeaks _even when she is being tough. "Azula will do the rest," Ty Lee says as she begins climbing the tree. She disappears into the leaves. Mai sighs and holds the stupid sharp rock to Azula's neck.

"Please don't burn me alive," Mai groans and Ty Lee makes a _hmph _sound from up in the branches. Mai still doesn't like this idea. She clears her throat and with the inflection of a bored adolescent reading a drilling manual, "The Fire Princess is going to die now or whatever. I'm going to, I guess, cut her head off with this rock because I'm the evil Earth Kingdom Queen."

"Yes, you said that with such _feeling_," Azula hisses in her ear.

"Just swoon in fear already," Mai whispers exasperatedly. And they always say she's the worst damsel in distress in history.

Azula is as fantastic at being a damsel in distress as she is at being a conqueror. "I need you, my samurai," she breathes with some impressive acting skills. Mai begins to think, as she awaits Ty Lee and Azula goes on about butterflies or something, that maybe Azula kind of _likes _being conquered despite her control obsession and therefore would _never _admit it.

Azula _does_ and Ty Lee has never been so excited before. She grabs onto the branch and swings down as Azula falls into Mai with acting skills that are better than all the Ember Island players put together. Unlike _Mai_, who doesn't even act surprised as Ty Lee knocks the rock out of her hand and pushes her backwards before grabbing Azula in her arms.

"You're safe with me, princess," Ty Lee breathes and Mai sits down by the water, groaning softly. "You will always have my samurai protection from the evil Earth Queen."

_Just kiss already_, Mai wants to snap. Today has been an exercise in frustration; the reason Azula wanted to be _rescued _is because of an evident crush, and Ty Lee wanted to be her rescuer for the same reason.

To her surprise, Ty Lee fake kisses Azula. But Azula leans upwards and their lips hit against each other. Not the best play kiss, Mai has to admit.

"Ow, my teeth!" Ty Lee yelps and Mai smirks for a split second.

Azula falls backwards. "You are _terrible _at being the hero," she says, rubbing at her mouth. "I don't feel generous anymore. You were awful at being the conqueror hero; you can't even kiss the damsel in distress without _nearly breaking off her teeth_! Since I'm much better at it, I insist on being the powerful one from now on."

"You always're the powerful one," Ty Lee says and Azula nods coldly. Her big gold eyes are sparkling from how _fun _it was to be the one rescued; no one can know that she enjoyed that. "Thank you for letting me be your hero. Also, I swear I can do the romance part way better!"

She kisses Azula softly on the cheek.

Azula tries to fight her blush.

"Well that was _slightly _better. It was still unimpressive. I think I've had my fill of damsel in distress for forever," Azula declares regally and Mai rubs her lower back.

Thank the spirits.

* * *

_**A/N: **I can't believe there are only four more chapters left. It's scaring me; I've been working on this for over a year.  
(That adds up to 94 chapters but there will still be 100 drabbles. I chose to stop at 94 chapters because the last 7 drabbles are a continuous story and I want some wiggle room in case I want to add bonus content in the future. So, still 100 drabbles, only 94 chapters).  
Thank you so much for reading this far. It means the world to me and I hope you've been enjoying the show._


	91. Prize

_(Theme Ninety-One) _**Prize**

_(As Prompted By) _**astraphobic kisses &amp; iliasc**

"What's that?" asks the girl dangling from the top of Ty Lee's bunk bed.

"What's what?" Ty Lee asks, setting down her hairbrush.

She is currently away from Kyoshi Island, helping protect dignitaries at the slowly forming embassies in the Fire Nation. Her lodgings are not quite the palace Zuko offered, but she would rather – as much as she loves them – not be with her old friends day and night. They come with painful memories, just like the stuffed koala-otter that Miko is pointing at.

"Oh," Ty Lee says, smiling and blushing involuntarily. "It's just a little memento."

"Ooo, it's a romance thing." Miko drops down from the bar she had been doing pull-ups on. "Tell me more."

Ty Lee shakes her head. Her voice cracks as she says, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Bad break-up?" Miko asks.

"You could say that," Ty Lee whispers, licking her lips nervously. "I really should've gotten rid of it _years _ago, but I found it at my old house and it's really comforting, you know?"

Miko nods. "It's really cute."

Ty Lee can remember getting it. It was a prize on Ember Island, the day a carnival was held on her and her friends mandatory vacation. Azula turned _everything _into a competition, and, well, given that it was Azula, the only time she was beaten was when Mai threw darts and won a rigged game with them.

Her princess gave her the prize she wanted. At the time, it felt like the biggest romantic gesture in history. Ty Lee knows better now, but every time she holds it to her chest, she can feel that same rush of her secret lover winning her a gift and holding her in her smooth, perfect arms. Kissing her with soft, flawless lips. Biting down without even restraining her teeth.

_Ty Lee _got drunk on the beach that night. Azula did not. Ty Lee wishes she had been sober to hold onto those last moments before it all went wrong.

"Thank you," Ty Lee says after too long zoning out.

Miko gives that sharp nod once more, and Ty Lee lies down on her scratchy blankets, the koala-otter plushy resting on the inside of her elbow.

**.**

Three days later, Ty Lee is out cold in an infirmary after being injured in an attack by the New Ozai Society. The hospital is one built for war and soldiers coming home, and the healers are experts at their craft. The herbs save her _and _knock her out so she does not have to face the pain. Visiting hours are over, and she had more visitors than the head healer had ever seen before. Popular, pretty young thing.

How did she get there? A violent explosion at the Earth Kingdom embassy. It would have killed a lesser being.

As soon as the halls are deserted save for a few healers making tired rounds, someone walks inside. The dark red hood over her makes her look like an assassin coming to finish the job, but she does not have a weapon or poison in her hand.

She has a stuffed koala-otter.

Ty Lee's eyes open when she feels it being set beside her on the multiple pillows. She sees the person above her, the girl who haunts her dreams, and knows Azula cannot be real.

"I thought you might like this," whispers a very real woman who was involved in the attack. A very real woman who is grappling with feelings she has never experienced before after her spectacle of terrorism hurt Ty Lee.

"Az…"

"Shut up." Azula frowns faintly. "Uh, or, please be quiet and just accept your gift."

"Azul…"

"I hope you get better soon…" Pause. Azula swallows the lump in her throat. "You really should have chosen your side more wisely, of course. But I wish you only the best."

She speaks so _regally_ and so _coldly_. Like she is talking to her subjects and not a girl she thinks she might still harbor feelings for. Which is a terrifying thought.

"Why…?" _are you here_. Azula figures out what the slurred word means.

"I…" Azula bites her lower lip and Ty Lee remembers the kiss when Azula won the carnival circuit that sparkling night. "I love you," she says very quickly before opening her mouth to take it back.

"About time," Ty Lee slurs and a shocked Azula jabs her thumb into her broken rib.

Ty Lee screams and Azula realizes she should not have done that. She can hear footsteps and her stupid ex-girlfriend won't stop _cursing _about the pain.

"That wasn't what you were supposed to say," Azula hisses under her breath.

Azula stares at Ty Lee for long, awkward seconds. She kisses her on the numb and bruised lips before fleeing into the night, leaving no trace of her existence save for a carnival prize.


	92. Swimming

_(Theme Ninety-Two) _**Swimming**

_(As Prompted By) _**xUnfastenedxFlannelx**

"It's beyond perfect, isn't it?" Ty Lee remarks dreamily.

Azula gazes at the placid water of the crystalline pool. It rests in a small clearing among an endless sea of trees. The princess agreed to this solely because she was allowed to leave house arrest for a little while, even if that meant _walking in the forest_.

"You're going to jump into that water, aren't you?" Azula says and Ty Lee nods at her. "I'll sit this one out."

Azula turns around and forces herself to sit on the cleanest boulder she could find. It still has moss on it that is the squishiest, most disgusting thing that she can imagine. But what she sees next is certainly not disgusting.

"Oh come on. That could be sexier," Azula teases and Ty Lee sticks her tongue out at her.

"You could be polit_ier_," Ty Lee replies in a sugar sweet tone.

Sugar rush. Now that's a good way to describe the ridiculous sensation that visits from this girl incite. Ty Lee has removed her hiking clothes and is now in quite flattering white undergarments.

"That uniform you wear is sickening," Azula says, glaring at the worn red fabric.

"I _wish _it was pinker! But I'm supposed to _blend in _when escorting dignitaries and fighting assassins and getting blown up…" Ty Lee laughs and Azula suddenly wonders if Ty Lee… _remembers_. No, no, that would be absurd. Azula would seem like nothing but a drug-induced dream to a girl who was hung up on her ghost of an ex.

"I miss the cute little pink thing you wore when we were after ZuZu. Your Special Forces outfit was vital to my morale."

Ty Lee snorts and it is somehow kind of attractive. Suddenly, she is pretty and graceful again as she removes the last of her clothes and leaps into the water. _"Cold!" _she shrieks, coughing on the water before she finds a rock to balance her feet on.

She swims gracefully; Azula is impressed. It's quite transfixing. Personally, Azula is helping herself to the entire bottle of fine wine that Ty Lee brought for their _romantic picnic_. This. _This _is how much she hates house arrest; she is willing to go on a _romantic picnic_.

Ty Lee surfaces and gazes at Azula from afar. She would love to pull that girl into the water, but she just continues, trying not to make a single mistake in her most sensual of swimming styles.

Azula notes that Ty Lee's nails certainly do not match the drab uniform. They are a stunning red, the kind that would look very good against a certain someone's bare ivory skin. The princess smirks.

The bright blue ripples remind Azula of her own flames. They kind of _engulf _the body of her paramour. The perfect but… scarred body. Scarred from the shrapnel of an explosion that Azula caused…

Ty Lee leaves the water as soon as she sees the wine is halfway gone. She is not missing out on that.

"Should I put on my clothes yet, or do you need a boost of morale before I make you hike up to our _actual _picnic spot?" Ty Lee asks, her lips twitching.

"Up to you," Azula purrs and Ty Lee knows the answer from her eyes. "A romantic picnic is a ridiculous idea if we tire out too much from a _climb_. I think this place is beautiful enough to use that energy in a much more productive manner."

Ty Lee smiles. "I think I like that idea."

Azula kisses her and her lips taste like wine. It is something Ty Lee thinks about when she hears about lip paint that promises to be delicious to whomever you are kissing. Cherries, wine, cherry wine.

Ty Lee feels Azula's lips beating a pattern down her neck, lower…

And Ty Lee whispers, "Tell me you own me."


	93. Moar Kittens

_(Theme Ninety-Three) _**Moar Kittens**

_(As Prompted By) _**Streetlight Eyes**

Ty Lee loses half a lock of hair to a metal brush on the best day of her life.

Azula stares at the clump stuck on the steel bristles and cocks an eyebrow. Ty Lee wouldn't sacrifice her hair unless there was –

"_Kittens_! Oh, Azula, kittens!" Ty Lee shrieks. "I _told _you I saw like three stray cats in this courtyard."

The princess looks up, bewildered. They are sitting on a gorgeous sun porch with a babbling fountain, a mirror and glorious, glorious privacy to do whatever they want with each other. How _dare _animals intrude before they even _start _making out.

"There are not _strays_ on the palace grounds. We're not some kind of disgusting farm," Azula says, crossing her fingers. Maybe if she declares their nonexistence, they will cease existing.

"Of course, princess. I must have been… mistaken?" Ty Lee tries to push five fluffy, mewling balls of fur behind her back. She is not successful.

Azula rolls her eyes. "You're not _mistaken_. We both can see the kittens."

Ty Lee blushes pinker than her clothes. "You said there weren't kittens, so I…"

"No, no, I understand. My word is law. And my word is that we can humanely release those kittens."

"_Humane_?" Ty Lee whispers. "What's the alternative?"

And in a matter-of-fact tone, Azula replies, "Drowning them."

Ty Lee gasps loudly. "_You would drown kittens_?"

That might be a dealbreaker for their beautiful relationship. Azula is Ty Lee's first love, and a super sexy girlfriend who brushes Ty Lee's hair but if she drowns kittens that might detract slightly from her perfectness.

"I wouldn't enjoy it. But if I had to… yes," Azula says, shrugging. "Stop looking so aghast. You asked me to be honest more often if we were going to date."

Ty Lee grabs the nearest one and hugs it close to her. She whispers gently in its ear, "I won't let her drown you, buddy." She then looks up at Azula. "They can play with us!"

Azula cocks an eyebrow, the side of her lip twisted in a very discouraging snarl. Ty Lee leans her head so that the sunlight makes her eyes sparkle. Azula stares back with less feeling than Mai before she rolls her eyes and surrenders with honor.

She already sees Ty Lee eyeing their stupid make-over supplies they were using as an excuse for solitude. Oh, the sweet fortune of sleeping with your bubbly best friend.

"If you can dress the kittens up, I will allow you to keep them." Oh, how Azula loves giving people false hope. There is _no way _Ty Lee can get those kittens into clothes.

Azula sits back and enjoys the show.

**.**

Fifteen minutes later Azula is beginning to feel nervous. Ty Lee has four of the kittens wearing scarves and one even has a stylish clip. Crud.

Azula groans as Ty Lee nearly gets the scarf-dress onto the black kitten. "Why can't you apply sufficiency at impossible tasks to _important _things? You couldn't even babysit a bear for an _hour _in order to assist my conquest, but you can dress four kittens?"

Ty Lee ignores the insult, of course. "I wanted to put them in little booties too, but this one hates me and won't even put on her scarf. I'm naming her Mai."

"You can't name them." That will make this worse.

"But she's such a _Mai_." Ty Lee holds her up and if Azula were playing along with her girlfriend, she would agree. It is a very sullen kitten. "And that one with the scraggly ear and too-big-for-him paws can be ZuZu!"

Azula does smirk and her shoulders shake with silent snickers. "The one with the hairclip is you, isn't it?"

"Yes. Ty Lee II is very stylish." Ty Lee reaches out and pats the baffled, meandering creature on its small head.

"So, which one is me?" Azula inquires, crossing her arms. Ty Lee sweats and it is delightful.

"None of them. You're too perfect to be embodied in any body but your… very perfect and super sexy body," Ty Lee says blithely.

"Good." Azula leans back against the fountain again. "So, you have two more to humanize by giving them _names_."

"I'm stuck on—eurgh!" Mai escapes Ty Lee's grasp and starts running.

Azula's heart begins to pound out of control.

"Your cat is approaching me." Pause. "Ty Lee, your cat is approaching me! Take it away _now_!"

Ty Lee just giggles and watches her girlfriend sit as still as a statue as little Mai curls up on her lap for a nap.

"Now you can't stop me," Ty Lee sings before grabbing ZuZu by the scruff of his neck to downplay his deformed ear with a very haute silk bow.

"I will do as I please. I am the heir to an empire and…" Azula gives in. The kitten is making small squeaking and purring noises in its sleep.

As Ty Lee is focused wholly on her bow for ZuZu, very slowly, with expert stealth, Azula pets the kitten on her lap.

Just once.

Just to make it trust her before she destroys it.

"You're her mommy now!" Ty Lee shouts.

"I will drown you," Azula hisses at Ty Lee, whom recoils and nearly crushes ZuZu.

Ty Lee grins as she stabilizes herself with one hand. "You love me and our new babies."

Azula's eyes flash.

"Our what?"

* * *

**_A/N: _**_The remaining drabbles are all part of a continuous story leading up to a final drabble that keeps making me cry.___ I decided to scrap my plan of doing those drabbles as one long chapter. I set out to have 100 chapters, and I intend to do that.  
_ _

_The reason I chose to make it to 100 is because I realized that this story is a huge part of my life. I try my best not to get attached to stories and fics, in order to be professional, but this collection is an exception.  
_

_It's been here from the moment everything collapsed to the moment I decided to try to put it back together. I have my oneshot from the day before I was hospitalized, oneshots from different trips or inspired by people who came and went and stayed all the same. I have a oneshot from the day of the Supreme Court Ruling legalizing gay marriage. Cold days, hot days, worst days, best days. It's like 100 horcruxes. Chunks of my soul and Polaroids of Tyzula.  
_

_So many of the stories and quotes and moments come from my life over the past two years. So much has happened, so much pain, so much joy. This may be drabbles about fictional lesbians, but they're kind of like songs that carry memories with them.  
_

_I'm crying again. Fxck._

_Anyway, a single storyline of 7 drabbles left to go. Thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying the show._


	94. Elope With Me

_(Theme Ninety-Four) _**Elope With Me**

_(As Prompted By) _**ThisUnitHasNoSoul**

Once upon a time, the circus came to Caldera.

Ty Lee was in hot water with her family, and she was thirteen, and she was stupid, and she just wanted to belong so badly.

When the circus left town, Ty Lee disappeared with them.

She told Azula why: it was her calling. Azula didn't stop her. Later, Azula decided she should have stopped her.

Ty Lee knows that feeling. The remorse that comes with allowing someone you love – someone you need – to walk away without even trying to keep them. She does not know what she could have or should have done to stop Azula from vanishing, but she never stops reliving a thousand last moments that could have gone differently.

She has lost all hope of seeing Azula again after only a year, but hoping had been hurting her soul.

Therefore, being close enough to touch her feels like a trance. Like some invisible music is blanketing both of them, sealing two young women away from the rest of the world.

"You should have realized by now that lying is an inherited trait. My brother just won't openly admit it," she is saying, but Ty Lee cannot comprehend a single word.

The shock recedes enough for Ty Lee to say softly, "Why are you here?"

Azula looks her up and down.

"I have plans for my future and, while I am capable of toppling empires, I can't do them alone. My options are severely limited," Azula says, examining her fingernails. Ty Lee feels sickened by that same old act that she always falls for, Azula making her feel infinitesimally small with only a single motion. "Join me for one last mission."

"What-what do you wanna do?" Ty Lee asks and Azula responds with a smirk. "You're not gonna tell me, are you? This is one of those stupid tests of faith that only insecure people do."

"I am not insecure. I am just not telling someone with a history of betraying me any of my schemes before I know if you're serious or not," Azula replies contemptuously, as if Ty Lee _asking _was a grave transgression.

Ty Lee sighs and sits down. "I'm not as dumb as I look."

"Do you still love me?" Azula demands.

"That's super unrelated." Ty Lee's mouth is too dry. Her lips ache. She doesn't know what to do when every fiber of her being wants to say _yes yes yes_. But Ty Lee is older, wiser and keeps her mouth shut.

"No, it's not. Read my note." Azula rummages around in the black leather bag she had draped over her shoulder when she invited herself into Ty Lee's bedroom via the ajar window. She pulls out wadded up parchment and hands it to her old flame.

"You assumed I would agree to come with you. Seriously?" Ty Lee snatches it out of Azula's hand. But when she opens it and reads it she melts. She cannot keep herself from blushing nor stop her heart from racing. "Wait-wait is this a lie or…?"

"I intend to do it. Of course, the note is really just to give _you _an alibi of a girl so madly in love that she would to something stupid like running off to marry me," Azula says and she is looking Ty Lee directly in the eyes. That does not happen often and, Agni, is it chilling.

"Do you have a proposal planned?" Ty Lee gently sets down the folded parchment.

"No. But I can do one." Azula turns a palm up and thinks for two seconds. "Do you remember when you vanished with the circus? You went to talk to me first. I was the only person, as far as I know, and I thought you were telling me. You were asking me and I should have said no. I wanted you to stay and I don't know why I let you leave."

Ty Lee's blood runs cold. There is no way Azula could know how she feels, how she ruminates incessantly about never trying to stop Azula from walking out of her life. Or, well, vanishing from it.

"You actually mean that," Ty Lee remarks, incredulous, and Azula nods. "You actually mean that."

"How bad could one last adventure hurt? If you say no I will be forced to kidnap you and marry you against your will so this is an excellent opportunity for you to agree."

Ty Lee rubs her face. "I knew you would say that."

"And…?" Azula crosses her arms and Ty Lee sighs loudly.

"Let me pack."

Azula smirks, but it fades when she realizes how much she wanted this.

She thinks she might have always been the one madly in love enough to do something stupid like risking her freedom to be free with Ty Lee.

**[to be continued]**


	95. Autumn Leaves

**#95:** Autumn Leaves  
**As Prompted By:** Guest

A conqueror is nothing without her legion of foot-soldiers.

This should be evident. But it isn't.

It isn't clear that the grandest victories and most devastating losses are far less important in the making of a life than little, forgettable types of moments. Maybe it is better to be nothing more than a chapter in a history book, a cold figure meant to be memorized, than to try to figure out how being a human works.

When you can feel time slipping away like an hourglass inside of your chest, the fact that those little things are the big things is hard to swallow.

Azula drops the dying leaf into the water and watches it drown.

_Leaves_, she had been thinking, _look much larger than stars from down here. _

"It's not like, the wedding we planned or anything," Ty Lee says, grabbing Azula by the arm. The princess does not even flinch, which Ty Lee guesses is a good thing. "But I think it's totally _better _than the wedding I would've planned."

"No. It's not. Don't lie to me."

"No. It's _better_. On this bridge is just as good as in Caldera surrounded by a billion people. A billion leaves are the same as a billion people because I'm just looking at _you_."

"Do you want to go to town. I want to at least get you a bouquet. I am royalty and I will treat my princess as I should." Azula kisses her forcefully and feels her bend. Perfection.

They walk to the small village where no one knows them, the leaves crunching beneath their feet. Ty Lee does not know if they will even have a flower shop.

At last, they reach a very busy marketplace. It is stunning compared to how sleepy the town looked from afar. The vendors shout, Ty Lee and Azula both seek a flower stand.

"Aww, a baby," Ty Lee coos, grabbing Azula by the hand and walking up to the woman.

"Ty Lee, Ty Lee, we're fugitives, you can't do this," Azula coldly says, but she finds herself standing in front of the frazzled mother and sleeping infant regardless.

"She's so cute," Ty Lee says to the mother, whom seems to be _flattered _by the comment. Azula finds it strange. "May I?"

"May you what?" Azula hisses under her breath.

Oh, this lady off of the street is handing a girl who conquered Ba Sing Se a _baby_. Ty Lee holds it and makes little sounds that make Azula feel uncomfortable.

"She's precious," Ty Lee says, beaming and glowing.

"Thank you," says the mother.

Ty Lee is looking at Azula.

Azula does not like that look.

Later, "I want one of those one day," Ty Lee announces.

"You seem like the type. I am not the type."

"Oh, but you would make the most beautiful babies in the world."

"I am morally bankrupt but I wouldn't inflict my motherhood onto an innocent child."

Ty Lee stops walking. "You would be an amazing mother."

"I enjoy your superfluous compliments but that one is the hardest to believe. I am incapable of motherhood and I suppose I dodged an arrow with my brother needing to produce an heir instead of myself."

"That's a good sign!" Ty Lee gasps.

Azula cocks a concerned eyebrow. "What? Knowing I would traumatize my child?"

Ty Lee _bounces_. "Yes. If you're scared to have kids because you're scared of screwing them up then you're just the right person for the job."

"I am not _scared _and that is ridiculous. I see flowers. Shut your mouth."

Azula buys gorgeous flowers and Ty Lee fawns over them. Maybe Ty Lee has forgotten. Azula hopes so as they walk back towards their campsite near the bridge where they will be wed.

Ty Lee brushes a leaf out of Azula's hair and seizes the opportunity to kiss her on the lips.

"You don't have to have babies with me."

Azula, again, does not know why she is marrying this woman in secret. Of all the people she could elope with… "I know that. I don't need your permission."

Ty Lee smiles. "I know. But I totally stand by the fact that you would be a good mom, and you would completely destroy your mom. You're so much better than her or her dad or—"

Azula kisses her. She does not want to talk about this.

And Ty Lee understands, even if Azula will never change her mind.

They wed in a windstorm.

Azula keeps Ty Lee warm that night as the leaves beat against their temporary lodgings.

"You know," Azula says as she rolls over to see the naked girl beside her. "My wedding gift to you is telling you that I think you have a point. Not about me having babies because that will never happen, but I think…" It is hard to say. "I think that I have neglected certain parts of my life in pursuit of my legacy. I think I don't want to do what's ahead of us alone because I have catching up to do. I'm a chapter in a history book, scrolls will be written about me, but no one will really remember me and that moment when I realized my wife was insane and picked up a strangers' baby."

Ty Lee cannot even smile. She is so happy that she cannot even smile.

"I'll remember that. I'll remember that forever. I'll write a history book all about _you_."

"So, a diary? Will you write my name all over with hearts? Because I would buy that historical volume." Azula shifts into a shrill, girly imitation of Ty Lee, "_I want Princess Azula so bad. I think about her all the time. Here's a list of all of my favorite moments with her. She is so good at sex and so beautiful and pretty and perfect. One time she let me hold her hand—_"

Ty Lee tackles Azula and pushes a pillow down over her face.

Azula burns it and the feathers burst out, raining down on her like snow.

Ty Lee laughs, but does not get off of her princess.

Azula sees the feathers and can only think that they look very small compared to Ty Lee from down here.

**[to be continued]**


	96. Goodbye to the Circus

**#96:** Goodbye to the Circus  
**Prompted By: **GuitarBOSS &amp; cranapplesurprise

"I think you misunderstand the meaning of crime spree," Azula says, casually picking at her fingernails. "We take the money and run."

Ty Lee pouts and contemplates for a moment. "Well, I can't really say that doesn't sound super fun. What do we need the stolen money for?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," Azula purrs, caressing the side of her wife's face.

"You are so confusing about this. But I want to make it clear that we're going to use this for both whatever you brought me into this for, and a house."

"Just a house? I was thinking of something more lavish than that."

"I still want a garden."

"A courtyard?"

Ty Lee wonders for a moment if Azula is thinking about taking the throne. That thought makes Ty Lee very nervous, because many things Azula has said have implied that she wants a palace and crown. But Ty Lee overlooks it, because Azula makes her happy.

"I want a _garden_. I'll have one. _We'll _have a garden. Not just with flowers and pretty stuff like that, but with, like, veggies and stuff."

"You don't cook and you hate eating vegetables."

"You don't know me! I… love those things." Ty Lee is such a bad liar. Azula would teach her if it were not for the fact that she does not like the idea of being lied to by her wife. Which is fairly hypocritical, which even Azula herself will admit.

"I know you."

"You were pretty missing for a while."

Azula had hoped Ty Lee would continue avoiding that topic.

"I wasn't… wholly gone. I did… watch people. My brother, you, other people I wanted to keep tabs on. And I had eyes other than my own. There is an unsurprising amount of people loyal to me."

"Yeah," Ty Lee whispers. She decides to keep ignoring Azula vanishing on her more than once.

"Now. Let's take the money and run, shall we? We'll spend some on your dream, I promise."

"You don't keep too many of those."

"I _didn't _keep too many of those. Have I not changed?"

"In some ways," Ty Lee admits. She shrugs. "Take the money and run. Got it."

She gives a mock salute to her princess.

Even though she is a princess too now, she supposes.

[X]

Azula is an endless summer with flames so hot that they turn blue and a knockout appearance that almost makes up for her personality.

"Thank you for the jewelry," Ty Lee says as she lies in bed with her knees pointing towards the ceiling. "It's so me!"

"You picked it out. I simply stole enough money to buy half of the store. I used to have anything I wanted if I just asked. That has changed."

"It was your choice," Ty Lee says as she examines the rings on every finger. Azula hopes she does not go out looking so tacky. "You vanished again and I don't know why."

"I don't like being caged up. I could have so much more than that."

"Well, good you brought me this time you disappeared or else I'd be really mad."

"You couldn't stay mad at me that like."

"Is that a challenge?" Ty Lee laughs.

Azula sighs. This girl is amazingly impossible.

[X]

"Azula, we have to stop!" Ty Lee shrieks in the middle of a town.

"We can't stay here; do you understand? We are shopping briefly, then we are moving on to our next target."

"I don't want to stay _here_. Look at this flier!" Ty Lee rips it from the bulletin board. She holds it up.

It is torn down the middle from Ty Lee's carelessness, so Azula reaches out to hold it in place. Their fingers brush against each other and they both get that butterfly-moth feeling that they refuse to admit.

"The circus is in town? Oh, no, no, no. I have been to enough of those to last a lifetime," Azula says.

"I _want _to. Really bad. We can spend some money," Ty Lee argues.

Azula purses her lips. She thinks for a moment as she releases the parchment. Ty Lee balls it up and stuffs it into her pink pocket.

"I did marry you, and, therefore, your happiness is in my job description. We will _look _at the circus. If it is dangerous at all, we will leave."

"It won't be that dangerous if you don't release any animals."

Azula almost snaps at her, but she starts to smirk, and then starts to laugh.

She cannot help it.

[X]

The circus seems harmless until it ends.

Then Azula's plans are put into jeopardy, because these pathetic failures turned performers apparently recognize Ty Lee. She should have known, and Ty Lee should have listened.

Four freaks approach them with a burning excitement to see Ty Lee. Kissing her cheek, hugging her, generally making Azula feel blue hot jealousy.

"I heard you were a songbird in Republic City."

"No, that's so wrong. She moved to the North Pole because of some Spirit Oasis."

"That's actually absurd. Can you even imagine Ty Lee in the snow? _I _know for a fact that she was on Ember Island teaching rare martial arts."

Rei snorts. "I guess she could do that. But it's pretty obvious from her gorgeous date that she became a _model _after the war."

"And she was in prison for charming that assassin to kill her competition. I remember that part. The model and prison has two parts; it's way more credible than you two."

"She became a Royal Bodyguard, and y'all five believe rumors too easily."

Ty Lee exchanges a befuddled glance with Azula. "Oh, well, it's actually the last one. So, this is the princess that I'm body-guarding so she can safely go away from Caldera for a vacation. She's pretty helpless without me."

"I thought that princess almost won the war."

"Yeah, but almost just isn't good enough," Ty Lee says brightly. Azula hates her wife at this moment. "She's just a real mess."

That is somewhat accurate, but it does not stop the flush on Azula's cheeks as she tries to remain expressionless.

"Well, welcome, princess," says the woman who gave the Royal Guard idea to Ty Lee. She extends a hand and Azula ignores it.

"I don't want to touch someone who did handstands in those filthy tents," Azula coldly explains and the woman awkwardly rescinds her hand.

Ty Lee smiles at Azula; it does not make her feel any better. "I didn't know people talked about me so much."

To be honest, she always figured no one would even notice if she fell off of the face of the Earth. The idea that people were hypothesizing wild adventures she could be on after the war makes her feel so special. She cannot believe it.

"Stay for some drinks," offers Rei.

"I'd love that," Ty Lee chimes.

Azula crosses her arms, but relents. She admits she is a bit curious about Ty Lee's friends for whom Ty Lee abandoned Azula at the age of thirteen.

[X]

Ty Lee stands with Azula by the lake nearby the circus.

"You didn't look so happy at that dinner," Ty Lee whispers as she reaches out to hold Azula's hand. It works.

"Well, I, like most people, dislike being confused by inside jokes and bored by pointless stories. They were _there_ and you were too; why must you all retell those memories?" Azula flatly says, staring at the water. It gently ripples in the wind. "I tolerated the circus for you, but you refuse to decline those freaks for me. _Me_. I am your future; they are your past."

Ty Lee sighs.

She turns up her palms and tells the truth. "I'm done with that part of my life. But I did like the wild speculations about what I've been doing for so many years." Ty Lee grins as she remembers people arguing over the strange but somewhat flattering rumors.

"You agree to follow me into a future. You agree to abandon your life as a Kyoshi Warrior, or my brother's loyal servant, or circus freak?" Azula asks and Ty Lee laughs. She then realizes it is not rhetorical.

"Obviously. I'm committing treason by helping a fugitive. Don't you know how bad I want to be with you?" Ty Lee asks, taking Azula's other hand so that they face each other.

Azula takes a deep breath that Ty Lee does not really like.

"You did leave without saying goodbye last time. I kind of whisked you away that time too, so I will give you this for your cooperation all of those years ago," Azula says and Ty Lee shrieks, clapping her hands excitedly.

Ty Lee hugs Azula tightly before softly saying, "I have a request other than my garden."

"Yes?" Azula does not like the sound of this.

Ty Lee smiles and hopes for the best. "Let me say goodbye to the circus. With you, seeing as you're kinda good at making me do that."

"Fine. Goodbye to the circus. Goodnight and we hope you enjoyed the show, or whatever they said," Azula purrs. She kisses Ty Lee on the lips, hard.

Ty Lee kisses her back.

That is what they do until they're breathless.

Well, no, it is what they do until some trapeze guy whistles at them and then makes a comment about Ty Lee's flexibility.

Azula decides Ty Lee ought to say goodbye to the circus and he ought to say goodbye to his intact nose.

**[to be continued]**


	97. Vanishing Act

**#97: **Vanishing Act  
**As Prompted By: **DearLemonLima

"Why would you steal a fish?" Azula demands, gazing at Ty Lee filling an inn's vase with water. "You have to wait for it to warm up. You cannot drop a fish into cold water."

"Then heat it up," Ty Lee complains, offering the vase to her new wife.

Azula looks at Ty Lee's sparkling, wide eyes and feels that _tugging _in her gut that she loathes. "Only because I killed its owners," Azula purrs. It takes a few simple seconds of bending before the water is adequate for the colorful fish. "Does he have a name?"

"Swimmy," Ty Lee sings.

Azula blinks. "You don't think that's, perhaps, a little absurd?"

Ty Lee now sees an opportunity and barely restrains herself from jumping up and down and screaming how she's the manipulative one now. "I'll change his name if you tell me why you're stealing weirdly specific things other than money now."

"You promise?" Azula inquires with a tiny pout.

"I'm not the liar in this relationship." Ty Lee grins.

Azula smirks. "Alright. I am building a fortress. Well, taking one, but then tailoring it to my standards."

"You can't retake the palace," Ty Lee vehemently insists, reaching out and grabbing both of Azula's hands.

"I…" Azula's eyelashes flutter. "How _stupid _do you think I am? I would never successfully be able to take it, much less hold it. I have been made aware of an isolated place that I can claim."

"You're not starting a war; you're settling down!" Pause. "Is that why you need a wife?"

"Not necessarily, but I figured it was worth it and I needed someone to aid me with the robberies and eventual resistance I will probably face. I can't run forever, and I never wanted to leave a home, I wanted to leave my brother and the way I was treated, the way I never was able to forget my alleged home was a prison. I had my fun, now I am having one last act of madness before I give in to my exhaustion."

Ty Lee glances at their latest acquisitions that lie on the bed. "Do you think an army will try to take you from your – our – new home?"

"No, but I am very wanted. More so, now that I'm leaving a bloody trail in my wake as I build a home and cute little future."

"I love cute little futures. I also love Swimmy."

"What is his new name?"

"Swimmy." Ty Lee laughs. "I did lie!"

She turns to face her new pet and screams. That will draw attention to them in this tiny inn, Azula laments. "He vanished! Azula, Swimmy vanished! He vanished, save him!"

"He's a fish," Azula snarls. "Where did he go? You lost a _fish _and you want _children_?"

"Oh, he just swam behind the plant I gave him. That terrified me. I'm rattled." Ty Lee kisses Azula and settles Swimmy on the woodsy bedside table.

"Not rattled by murder, theft and treason…" Azula cocks an eyebrow. "Rattled by losing track of her fish for a few seconds."

"That's why you love me!"

Azula refuses to admit that that is true.

**[to be continued]**


	98. The Family Fight

**#98: **The Family Fight  
**Prompted By: **ThisUnitHasNoSoul

"I'm super happy to do this with you. I mean, why else would I be your best friend and amazing wife and beautiful accomplice?" Ty Lee says, taking Azula by the wrist and pulling her into a slow sway.

Azula does not mind dancing in the empty beachside house she illicitly acquired. If it were any other situation, she would have pushed Ty Lee away.

"Because no one else applied for the job," Azula replies, earning herself a slap on the shoulder.

Their frivolous two-step comes to a swift and bittersweet end. Ty Lee looks around at the new life that Azula apparently desired so much. She wonders if the princess always wanted this, or if she just became tired of running and wanted to catch her breath. Ty Lee did not want to ask, because she did not want to know.

She is happy, and that is all that matters.

* * *

**_one year later_**

Azula ceases her training when Ty Lee approaches. She has been smoothly practicing pointless firebending forms for four hours—since dawn—in front of the waves, like she always does. Azula always loathed beaches, but she loves this one.

"Do you need something?" Azula asks her fellow fugitive. Ty Lee faintly smiles. It looks devious, which Azula finds to be very hot.

"I was thinking about… parenting," Ty Lee says, enunciating every syllable.

"Yes?" Azula does not know where her wife is going with this, nor does she want to know.

"I think you and I should…" Ty Lee hums. "I think I should with you…"

"Spit it out," Azula snaps.

Ty Lee is not certain how to express her desire. It is very complicated and illegal, but she thinks it is a vital next step of marriage. It _is _their anniversary of _two years_.

She begins with the disclaimer, "I know your mother is awful and—"

Azula spins around, her hair whipping through the air. "Do _not _insult my mother."

"B-but you hate her and always insult her." Ty Lee blinks several times.

Azula glares at her. "_I _can insult or disrespect my mother, my father can insult or disrespect my mother, my brother also could but he has far too much guilt to do it, my probable sibling can insult or disrespect my mother. You cannot. If I did not like your face so much I would have punched you. With fire."

"What?" Ty Lee squeaks, aghast and confused and kind of turned on.

"You have poor listening skills," says the kettle. "People who have been inside of my mother can discuss how truly despicable of a human being she is. People who have _not _are insulting or disrespecting me by insulting or disrespecting my family."

"I'm your family!" Ty Lee exclaims, throwing her arms up in the air.

Azula purses her lips. She lets Ty Lee sweat for a few satisfying moments before explaining, "Well, we _are _married, but I wouldn't call that _family_."

"That's exactly what it is!" Ty Lee gasps out, her eyes wide. "That's exactly what _marriage _means! You made me your family by marrying me!"

Azula hesitates, carefully considers her response, and replies, "Have you been inside of my mother?"

"No." Pause. "And it's super gross that you phrase it like that."

"You haven't. Our children can insult or disrespect us, I can insult or disrespect you, and that's it, because that's how that law works."

"Is that a law?" Ty Lee asks, scratching her head. Oh, how Azula envies that blatant ignorance. They say it can be bliss, and Ty Lee tends to be unnaturally happy.

"It is if I say it is," Azula decides, tapping one finger on her lip.

Ty Lee hesitates, carefully considers her response, and replies, "Can I not insult or disrespect you? Because I've been…"

"What do you think the answer to that question is?" Azula snaps.

Ty Lee shrugs. She knows who she married.

"Wait! You just said _our children_!" Ty Lee exclaims, grinning.

Azula feels momentarily worried. Ty Lee concerns her from time to time. "We don't have any. That was hypothetical, Ty Lee. Hypothetical means—"

Ty Lee kisses her fiercely on the lips and whispers in her ear, "I know what hypothetical means. I just love that you're also thinking about kidnapping a cute baby to raise."

"What? I am…"

The princess is speechless.

Azula shrugs. She knows who she married.

**[to be continued]**


	99. Consequences Found

**#99: **Consequences Found  
**Prompted By: **Neon Dandelion

"No," snarls Azula, snapping her wrist to smack the fire ferret across the face with a small blanket. It tries to take her berries again. And again, "No. No! No! N—!"

"Oww!" Ty Lee squeals, jumping up and down. Azula laughs and sweetly sighs.

"I thought you were the ferret," she admits, despite enjoying Ty Lee's betrayed expression.

Ty Lee pouts and begins to whimper before someone knocks on the door. Azula's heart skips a beat. On the door of the house on the semi-deserted island.

"Go get the door while I find out an escape plan," gravely whispers Azula before the door breaks down and a brigade of soldiers and Azula's older brother burst in, ready for a battle.

"I see you kept tracking me down for _two years_," theatrically announces Azula, standing up slowly. "You have true dedication to chasing ghosts."

"I found the Avatar and you so I do have a pretty good record of locating ghosts. Will you come quietly or will you behave predictably," Zuko regally replies, and Azula curls her fingers.

"I'm gonna surrender if that's okay with you." Ty Lee grins at the people who obviously have nothing better to do than track down two princesses.

The fight lasts all of four minutes before Azula gets punched in the face and falls onto her stone floor. She looks up and touches her sore nose. The blood trickles into her mouth.

"I have truly not been a danger to myself or society for the past year. I have hidden peacefully in isolation," Azula says after coughing. "You could've just let me go if you loved me or cared about my wellbeing at all whatsoever."

Zuko looks down at her and then grabs her by the arm. "Sooner or later, the day comes when you can't hide from the things you've done anymore."

Ty Lee looks to Azula, hoping she will say something sharp and scathing. Azula wobbles on her feet and flashes a glance at her wife. Ty Lee understands her eyes; they will handle this later when in a better position.

Azula meets her brother's gaze and calmly replies, "You're obviously right."

[X]

That evening, Azula sits in an interrogation room beside her wife. Her brother inexplicably did not separate them, which does not surprise the princess in the slightest. A man and woman who look like they are trying too hard to be scary sit down across from them at the table.

"Do you two have anything to say for yourselves?" asks the woman.

Ty Lee exclaims, "What are you even charging us with? We didn't do anything wrong _ever_!"

The man bluntly answers, "We're charging you with treason mostly and harboring a fugitive and disappearing while under house arrest and robbing several establishments and often killing the owners of those establishments… need I go on?"

Azula shrugs. "You could. You might as well talk because we will not say a word."

"Just those words. And my words I'm saying right now. Then we won't say a word at all."

"You don't have to. We have tons of evidence and will send you to prison for the rest of your lives. Or execute you. Half of those are punishable by death according to Fire Nation law but… a lot of things are punishable by death in this country so…"

They say nothing. Time passes by slowly before the two interrogators lose their patience.

The woman snaps, "Okay, to the Boil—"

Ty Lee frantically declares, "I will tell you whatever you want if you promise me _total immunity_."

"Ty Lee!" Azula screams, tugging at the handcuff latching her to the table.

"Yeah." Ty Lee smiles and inches away from her wife. "So, basically, Azula kidnapped me but also bribed me with promises of marriage and then we went on a crime spree and also eloped and went to the circus and she danced with me which was really sweet and I stole a fish that died because I spilled a drink in its cage and then we hid on a sort of deserted island. I say sort of because it was deserted and _then _we went to live on it. We also stole a fire ferret that didn't die."

"That's an adventure. You really didn't fight back much, now did you? It seems like you had plenty of time to do so," the woman coolly comments, but Ty Lee is undeterred. She just smiles again, this time at the man. He softens and Azula cannot suppress her flash of a smirk.

"It was a really good ride," Ty Lee says, tears blossoming in her eyes. She means that when she says it, and it hurts that her wonderful journey has come to an end. Maybe it has. Maybe she and Azula will escape and run off to some remote corner of the Earth. Ty Lee hopes so.

"How sweet," the woman wryly replies.

Ty Lee takes a deep breath and says, "Although, I mean it was a super sexy and fun journey, it was all her idea and I was afraid to speak against her and so I played along."

"Screw you!" Azula snarls, tensing for a fight.

Ty Lee swallows her nerves, knows this is for the best, and shouts back words she would never utter in reality. "No, screw you, you lying—"

Azula grabs Ty Lee by the throat. Ty Lee seizes her by the hair and Azula knees her in the gut and the two interrogators get up to grab them.

That is when Azula pulls out the bending and Ty Lee pulls out the anti-bending and they leave the two interrogators in quivering heaps on the floor.

"I can't believe that worked," Azula says. Perhaps she could; she is remarkably good at getting out of situations like these.

Ty Lee breathes a sigh of relief. "Me either. And I'm super sorry about snapping at you like that. You know it was just part of the act, right?"

Azula wordlessly breaks the chains on their handcuffs with one blast of fire. Ty Lee jumps up, grabbing her wife by the hand and running into the hallway. They dash to the door and find ten guards waiting for them.

Ty Lee puts her hands up and from the corner of her mouth whispers, "Can we take them?"

Zuko and his little friends step in and Azula rolls her eyes before surrendering.

"We are going to jail forever," Azula softly replies.

**[to be continued]**


	100. We've had a good ride

**#100: **"We've had a good ride."  
**Prompted By: **electric gurrl

"We are going to jail forever," Azula softly replies.

Ty Lee does not think that answer is good enough.

"No," Ty Lee says, and Azula's eyes flash. Ty Lee does not talk back. "We can take them."

Azula turns to face Ty Lee, and Ty Lee turns to face Azula. They exchange a glance, a smile and a smirk, and launch into battle.

Ty Lee takes on four soldiers at once and leaves them helpless on the floor. Azula burns two and they collapse, screaming from the pain. She disables two more and then turns to her brother as Ty Lee wipes out another five.

Zuko punches fire at his sister and she blocks it. He throws several more strikes and stumbles when she grabs his wrist. A smirk flickers on her lips. Ty Lee lays waste to the rest of his small army.

Azula moves to kill him but reconsiders. She throws him down and runs out of the door, grabbing Ty Lee's hand on her way.

[X]

"Where do we hide?" Ty Lee asks breathlessly.

Azula glances around Caldera. She shrugs.

"I have no idea," she admits.

"But you always have a plan!" Ty Lee whines, tears blossoming in her eyes.

"Stop panicking. Remember that old shed where we used to hang out as children?" Azula asks, starting to run towards the woods that house it.

"Where we used to make out as teenagers?" Ty Lee adds.

"That did not need to be said," Azula hisses, tugging on Ty Lee and dragging her further.

It is the dead of the night and they keep to the shadows.

They will be runaways until the end.

[X]

Azula lies down on the floor of the shed. Neither girl is going to sleep tonight.

"Will they find us?" Ty Lee whispers, nestling herself beside the princess. Azula has no need for the extra heat in the sweltering summer, but she allows it. "Will they find us?"

"If you keep talking so loudly," Azula whispers. She knows very well that no one can hear them, but she is not in the mood for conversation.

Ty Lee closes her eyes and keeps silent for the rest of the night.

[X]

Ty Lee and Azula wake up to the sound of people combing the woods, searching for them.

"We have to leave," Azula whispers, standing up and peering out of the only window. The dirt on it makes it nearly impossible to see, but she knows very well that there are people waiting out there.

"I guess." Ty Lee stares at the door.

"So..." Azula cannot find the words to say. It is not _quite _a first, but she never did get used to it.

"You have a really daring escape planned?" Ty Lee whispers as she looks out at the treacherous world. Zuko will probably stop at nothing now. "Oh, come on, you always do."

Azula has learned in her life that nothing is built to last. So, she just has to focus on the good times instead of the bad, and has to make sure that nothing goes _horribly _wrong. Even though things just did. Will she tell anyone about that positive outlook? Never.

"I don't," Azula whispers as she lies down her arms. "They're not going to kill us. But... I'm not sure, okay? I never got to..." Azula looks severely pained by this realization. "I never got to say some things and I bet I'm going to regret them later. I… I can't believe I'm saying this and if you tell _anyone _I will cut your throat open and pull your tongue out through it but… thank you for following me on this ridiculous adventure that couldn't end well. It won't end well, Ty Lee. I know you want to be babied, but we're either on the run forever or…"

Ty Lee blushes bright pink and smiles faintly, even if the final words in that small speech are so frightening.

Maybe deciding to elope and go on a crime spree was not the best idea they ever had. Maybe they will be caught in minutes and will be put on trial, and Azula is going to be locked up tighter than she ever was before.

Maybe they will make it and find happily ever after somewhere remote and beautiful.

But she... Ty Lee might not see Azula ever again, and that's scary.

"Thank you. Azula, thank you for trying. Thank you for making me feel like I was never ordinary. Nobody ever made me feel special, but you did," Ty Lee says and she suddenly realizes how hard she is crying. No, no, those tears are not allowed.

Azula's lip curls up in a snarl at the display of emotion. It feels _wrong_ to be so open like this.

"Perhaps we should kiss, before we surrender. I feel that it would be the socially appropriate action," Azula says softly as she extends a hand to Ty Lee. The acrobat swallows her sobs and grabs Azula's hand with a deep breath, inhaling her sharp, rosy perfume. They kiss hard, passionately, digging into each other.

Azula gently pulls away after it must end. All things must end, even when they feel eternal.

"You're not going to betray me, are you?" Azula insists softly as the shouting outside becomes louder, and the ground slightly shakes.

"I couldn't do that. I'm in way too deep by now," Ty Lee replies as her serious expression spreads into a grin.

Azula cocks an eyebrow. "Well, I appreciate your loyalty."

Ty Lee hears the sarcasm but ignores it. She likes to pretend Azula is being serious when she is mocking her wife.

"We're fucked up and totally blow it all the time," Ty Lee says. "But I think that it would be super boring if our relationship didn't require any work. Like just imagine how dull it would be if we were like, so easy! Like all we had to do is kiss and then boom, perfect dates and _babies_. The fuck ups and wild extremes and unpredictability is the fun part."

Azula does not want to talk at first. There are so many scenarios in her mind, so many words that could fit. And she is not certain which would have the best outcome. So she just replies honestly.

"You really seem to like insane people and dangerous situations." Azula shrugs. It works for her, and that is what matters.

"No, I just like my life to not be boring and ordinary. And you're the person who doesn't make me feel boring and ordinary." Ty Lee stops crying, _finally_.

"You're not either of those things, or else I wouldn't waste my time on you. You always do entertain me, even if Mai keeps stealing our thunder." Azula cackles. "Or, everyone's poor eyes were destroyed by walking in on us."

"They weren't _destroyed_." Ty Lee laughs through her tears. "We are _so hot_."

"I have utterly enjoyed it when you have attempted to coerce me with your baby animal eyes and little pout." More sarcasm, more Ty Lee pretending that Azula really is being sweet and flattering.

Ty Lee rolls her eyes. "Uh-huh, yeah right. _Attempted_. I _own you, _silly."

"Your bad metaphors."

"Your _worse _flirting."

More shaking. "Once this cools off, we're going to have kids. I'm so done with you wanting to steal Izumi. I think you'd be a good mom."

Azula opens her mouth to snap a retort before realizing that right now is not the best time.

"Two little girls, okay? And they will be _paradoxically perfect _children. They will be _so perfect _that there will be no equal to them but each other." Azula demands fiercely and Ty Lee nods, because she would take anything as long as it is with her. Any future, no matter how petty, or how extravagant. Anything, as long as she is with Princess Azula, linked to her side.

They look to the door, to the outside world that does not have enough hiding places to keep them safe. For the first time in her life, Azula has no idea what will happen next. Ty Lee knows that scares the princess even if she never admits her fears, no matter how much Ty Lee consoles her and is the only one alive who sees the person in Azula instead of a broken teacup of a monster.

"So, let's go out and leave awkward making out in tents, and, hm, _eloping _behind. And let's..." Azula is not sure, because Azula thinks she might spend the rest of her life in a cage.

"Let's get ready for two daughters who are gonna be really hard to handle, and a lot of bickering like real married couples, and then the old and grey." Okay, now they are most certainly out of time and need to get out of Caldera quickly.

Azula's heart pounds and her neck throbs. Ty Lee grabs her hand and Azula wants to pull away, but she simply cannot.

"We've had a good ride," Ty Lee says with a small smile.

And Azula can only reply, "The best."

They walk out into the blinding sunlight, with no clue what is to come next; they just know that they are going to brave it together, and that is absolutely good enough for them.

**Tabula Rasa**

* * *

**A/N: **_I don't know how to close this. I cannot say thank you enough for reading this far. This story captures two years of my life, all I've gone through, all I've been, all the crazy prompts that awesome people gave me. This has been the most fun story I have ever written._

_I promised one-hundred drabbles/oneshots. I'm marking the story complete, but it's not over. I'm going to keep posting oneshots and I'm taking prompts. I started another O/S collection and I'm going to start with the prompts I received for that one, since I'm cancelling it. _

_Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the show._

_Plus, I hope you enjoy the many encores to come._


	101. Lion and Lamb

**#101: **Lion and Lamb  
**Prompted By: **Neon Dandelion

On the gorgeous beach, at midnight on the day after a party that confused Azula and Ty Lee beyond belief, Zuko edges closer to Mai on the sand. Ty Lee keeps silently giggling as she watches from her perch halfway down a sand dune. Her second best friend is completely oblivious to her boyfriend awkwardly attempting to initiate cuddling.

Prince Zuko quickly speaks when Mai looks at him, stopping moving.

"I was thinking about hiking to get away from all of the supervision. There are a bunch of trails on the inside of the island by the volcanoes."

"That is a brilliant idea," enthusiastically says Azula.

Zuko hastily says, "Okay, now I've changed my mind. You've never liked one of my ideas before."

"No, no," replies his sister, "it's just that about twelve people die on those trails every year and it would be so easy for a _genuine _accident to happen to my dear, beloved brother who I would never want to harm if anyone asks."

Zuko begins, "You wouldn't—you would. You would kill me on one of those trails."

Azula wickedly smirks. "No, a wild animal or steep drop would kill you on one of those trails."

"Don't worry, Zuko," Mai says, "I'll protect you from Azula."

"I'll protect you from wild animals," Zuko says, now confidently wrapping his arm around Mai.

Azula glares. "Well, then I will protect Ty Lee from even bigger wild animals than you could ever protect Mai from."

Ty Lee grins and glows.

She at first just loves that the conversation involves her now, but she soon realizes that the warmth flooring her veins is love.

The most dangerous person she has ever met wants to protect her.

(Or is obscenely competitive and wants to top her brother's comment.)

[X]

Nine years after that late night on the beach, Azula sits with Ty Lee on her bed in the palace. She does not know how to offer condolences or comforts about Ty Lee's rather dangerous ex-fiancé being released from an Earth Kingdom prison.

"People are _very _afraid of me. You have absolutely nothing to fear," Azula purrs. She grazes her lips against Ty Lee's cheek but does not kiss her. It is always best to only tease and tantalize to keep Ty Lee starry-eyed.

Yet, Azula does mean it when she says she will protect Ty Lee. She does not feel _jealous_ as she so often does. She feels _territorial _and that emotion leads to far more drastic actions.

"Just tell Zuko to get him sent back to jail."

"If you wanted that, you should never have moved to Ba Sing Se."

"Well, I was running from _you _then and you're not allowed in Ba Sing Se for super obvious reasons."

"You should be banned from Ba Sing Se too," snaps Azula. "You are just as guilty as me when it comes to the little meaningless three-month occupation they keep whining about after so many years. Honestly, they should be over it by now."

Ty Lee smiles. "I still think conquering a whole civilization is really sexy. And it's even sexier that you're going to protect me."

"I can kill him for you," purrs Azula, caressing the side of Ty Lee's face. "I would deeply enjoy killing the man you gushed about _loving _for years. He should know that people do not steal from me… or hurt you, I guess."

Ty Lee finds the jealousy extremely hot. She leans in and whispers in Azula's ear, "You should do it. It'd be the best way to protect me, right?"

Azula claims her with a kiss, biting down on her lower lip.

[X]

"Sometimes," Azula whispers, lying down beside Ty Lee for the fourth night in a row, "I kiss your neck and this bloody image floods my head."

"What bloody image?"

"Ripping out your throat with my teeth." Azula deeply sighs. "But I never do it. I think I would find it almost impossible to do that."

"Aw," Ty Lee says, edging closer to Azula until she can feel her heat under the blankets. "You don't want me to die."

"So?"

"That's what love is. Love is not wanting to rip someone's throat out with your teeth."

"Perhaps," Azula dares to admit.

After that, Ty Lee falls asleep with a smile on her lips.

Azula lies awake listening to her breathing and thinking about the panicky thoughts that it would kill her if the rise and fall ever stopped.

[X]

Ty Lee hears the news before Azula even returns home.

The princess climbs through the window, of course, because she is not supposed to go anywhere but here. She never had trouble with that rule since she never _wanted _to be elsewhere. This is the only exception.

"I took care of him for you," Azula says, closing the window and leaning against the glass. Her smug smirk makes Ty Lee's heart flutter. She bursts into tears and Azula's eyes flash with anger.

"W-w-was it gruesome?" Ty Lee ekes out, as if aghast. "Did it hurt him really bad?"

Azula snarls, "You still love him. You still love him and I cannot believe I said I would—"

"N-n-no; that's not w-w-why I'm crying," Ty Lee ekes out. "It's just the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me. Painfully killing the man who hurt me is like the most romantic thing in the _entire _world."

Ty Lee jumps up from bed and wraps her arms around Azula in a tight embrace.

She kisses Azula so swiftly and fiercely that the princess gets a mouthful of teeth.

[X]

In front of a fire sage, a bowl of flame in front of them, draped in red silk and surrounded by people that Azula hates but will tolerate for a few hours, Azula makes a sole promise in the vows.

"… and I will protect you from any harm."

It is what one person must say in a Fire Nation wedding. The ritual and tradition is the only reason Azula says it, but that is the moment Ty Lee starts crying.

"You really promise?" Ty Lee whispers, disrupting the very important royal affair by whispering to her wife.

"I am required to say that line. If you ever betray me again, I will absolutely break this fake promise," Azula replies sharply.

Ty Lee cannot stop the happy tears.

[X]

"I do not go in water," Azula sharply says as Ty Lee tempts her to wade out in the waves.

They have their honeymoon on Ember Island. Azula has hardly touched water unless absolutely necessary since her life ended at the hands of her brother's awful waterbender slut girlfriend and, while she might do a number of things to reward Ty Lee's loyalty to her, she will not go swimming.

Ty Lee makes the sacrifice like a good underling and lies down beside Azula on the cold black sand.

"Gimme a minute," Ty Lee says and she easily balances herself upside down on her hands. She squints, slides down again onto her knees, and then crawls closer to Azula.

"What are you doing?" Azula demands, cocking an eyebrow.

"You're the prettiest person in the world from every angle," Ty Lee says, caught in a daydream.

"Well, thank you for stating the obvious, Ty Lee," Azula purrs, then she whispers hastily, "Ithinkyou'reprettytoo."

Ty Lee smiles. Azula shimmers in the moonlight almost as much as she does in the sunlight.

"I was thinking about going hiking and getting a little lost tomorrow," Ty Lee says. "Do you promise to protect me from any wild animals or steep falls?"

Azula is confused for a flicker of a second before she remembers that moment long, long ago.

"Of course I will," Azula says, kissing Ty Lee on the nape of her neck. "Remember? I hate the idea of someone or something tearing out your throat."

Ty Lee smiles.

That's what love is.

So Azula has basically said 'I love you' and Ty Lee could not be happier.

She kisses Azula and feels the smile her wife tries to hide.


End file.
